A year ago, we all experienced one of the most chaotic and upending weeks of our lives. On March 8th, we had a full Sunday morning. It was the second Sunday in Lent. We had begun to be more careful about cleanliness, with jugs of hand sanitizer prominently placed around the building. The choir’s anthem that day was “There is a Balm in Gilead,” a spiritual full of the hope we would need in the weeks and months to come.
We didn’t know it at the time, but it would be the last time we gathered like that. The cancelations escalated by the hour, and by the end of the week our congregation joined countless others across the country in pressing pause on all activities, including worship. What started out as a brief precaution became a year full of change, heartache, and isolation. It has also lead to a year full of creativity and hope. We are a resilient people, after all.
Our worship together has seen many forms this past year, and I imagine we will go through a few more changes as we inch closer to full indoor, in-person Sunday mornings.
I am excited to announce that on Palm Sunday, March 28th, we will return to the parking lot for outdoor worship at 9:30 a.m. Though many of you would much rather worship in the serenity of the sanctuary, being outside allows us to gather in greater numbers. We will continue to have weekly worship outside at 9:30 a.m. through the month of April. Because Easter tends to be a busy day, we will have a second service at 11:00 a.m. on that morning only. Both Easter services will look and sound the same, and all outdoor services will be streamed online.
Here’s the tricky part. April showers may put a damper on our worship. We will endure the rain if it comes; however, a weather advisory or potential heavy downpour will force us to cancel. If that occurs, we will notify you on Saturday night via email, our website, and Facebook. In the event that outdoor worship is canceled, we will live-stream from the sanctuary. During this time, you can still sign up for a spot in the sanctuary, but please know that sanctuary reservations will only go into effect if outdoor worship is canceled.
I should mention our Holy Week services. On Maundy Thursday, we will have two in-person services, at 12:00 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. On Good Friday, we will have one in-person service at 12:00 p.m. and a pre-recorded cantata available to watch any time after 5:00 p.m. The noon services on both days will be live-streamed and available to watch at any time after the service has begun. To attend the in-person services, please make a reservation through the church office or sign up at this link.
I am more hopeful than ever that we are nearing the end of this pandemic. Yet, even though we may see land on the horizon, we still have a long way to sail. Many of us, myself included, will not be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine for quite some time. As we continue this journey, I pray that we stay safe, healthy, and connected.
Peace,
Pastor Chad
