A New Season | June 5, 2020
Emails have gone out this week to our Sunday School classes with a proposed schedule for return to the building. Several classes let us know it is not yet time for them to meet together in person, and that is certainly fine. Those that are ready also have members who will remain safer at home. For those classes returning to the building, we will host three each week, beginning June 14. The group hour will be 10-11:00 am. Each class will be assigned a space that allows for social distancing. A staff person will be hosting each group to help with safe entry, questions or issues that arise, and safe exit. On the Sunday we begin allowing groups back into the building (June 14), we will also move our online worship service to 11:00 am. If a class wants to remain in their space and worship together through a live feed, that is fine. Or, they can exit when the group hour finishes, returning home for online worship. This is Phase 2 of our re-entry protocols.
We currently have Sunday School classes scheduled from June 14 through July 5. We are considering an alternative worship experience on Sunday, July 5, so our schedule is still fluid. If we are able to complete Phase 2 by the second week in July, we’ll be moving to our permanent Sunday morning schedule. Worship will be in the sanctuary: 9:00 am traditional and 11:00 am contemporary. At 10:00 am, groups will meet in different locations throughout the building. Room assignments are still in flux. This is Phase 3. This will be our new normal, including the necessary safety protocols, through the rest of the pandemic. We don’t have an end date for Phase 3.
Friends, I’m asking you to imagine our life together through a different lens. You could call it a pandemic lens, but this lens is not about a crisis. This lens focuses on community and the care we must now offer one another. Several times in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul compares the Body of Christ (also known as the church) to the human body. In 1 Corinthians 12, he specifically names the different parts (hands, feet, ears, eyes, etc) as important. In fact, he points to the necessity of each part in order for the body to function as intended. The lens through which we must now view our life together requires us to place the value of each other above ourselves. This will only work if every one of us chooses to do this. When you can trust that I will place your value above my own, then I can trust that you will place my value above your own.
Through this lens of community, there is really no question about whether we will wear masks or not. Of course we will wear masks when we are around one another because your safety is more important than my comfort. Through this lens, there is really no question about whether we will honor the request to keep social distance, register our attendance, not congregate and visit, and not sing. Of course we will make these sacrifices so we can make our building the safest possible place for everyone who enters. I commit to you that I will always lead you through this lens. I commit that I will always follow any safety protocol that I ask you to follow. Will you commit to viewing our life together through this lens? I hope so.
We’ve gone through so much change and upheaval over the last three months. Strangely, none of it has been internal. You have been wonderful — so supportive of each other and of our staff. I couldn’t be more proud to be your pastor. The world around us, however, has been tossed about and torn apart. We feel the effects of this in our congregation and in our lives. We are ready to settle down, but we are not there yet, Faith. In fact, we are entering another season of change as we get ready for Phase 2.
On Wednesday evening, we tried an outdoor worship service and you were amazing. Everyone kept social distance. The kids stayed with their families even though I know they would’ve rather been playing with each other. You made it a safe place for everyone who wanted to participate. I was so encouraged and grateful. We can do this, Faith. We can and we will. And, let me offer a word for those who need to remain safer at home. I am committed to an online worship service and online group experiences. There is no need for you to feel left out or left behind as others return to the building. Your church will remain available to you in safe venues. I hope you will continue to connect with us and stay connected in your groups even if you need to stay safer at home.
Finally, we start a new sermon series this Sunday. We’ll be looking at five biblical characters who had huge impacts on our faith in God: Moses, David, Esther, Jesus and Paul. Particularly, we’ll look how early experiences in their lives shaped who they became. About a month ago, I took this idea to Bill Shaffer, a member of our congregation who is a tremendous artist and asked him to create an image for each of the five. He created 4 images of each of the five! Once I saw how beautifully they were turning out, I mentioned it to Greg Leslie, another member of our congregation who is so gifted in editing video. He has provided some amazing animations for Bill’s art. You won’t want to miss the gifts they have to share with us for the next five Sundays. Wouldn’t hurt to ping them with a text or send them an email to let them how much you appreciate their gifts. And, while you’re at it, send an email to Jonathon Garrett and tell him how amazing our new email format is. His gifts and eye for graphic design are making us better.
I can’t wait to do life together with you this Sunday as we worship, pray, sing and offer our hearts to God. May the grace of God reach out to you this week and bring you peace.
Much love, Pastor Charla
