Faith Community

In-person worship soon?

While we haven’t been able to worship together in person, members of the Executive committee, Pastor Jon, and myself, are beginning to consider how we will go about gathering in
person again.

There are lots of things for us to consider. Singing? Hymnals? How to sanitize between each worship time? Communion? Bulletins? Greeters? Ushers? So many things to think about and it is overwhelming (at least for me personally). Will we have a reservation system to ensure only x number of people are in the
sanctuary at one time? So many questions that we don’t know the
answers to.

On May 19th and 21st I signed up for different webinars to see what other churches were doing, and their ideas for best practices. We got some useful tips and information that we are beginning to put together.

Another aspect of this is also what are people comfortable with? Will some stay home regardless until a vaccine comes out? Will people understand we can’t pass the peace, or why we won’t offer coffee for a while?

Please know that we are working behind the scenes to make the possibility of worship in person a reality that is safe for everyone. You should get an email, phone call, or keep checking the website for updates as we have them.

God’s peace and blessings to you all.

Living "in-between" days

We can be “in-between” in many different ways. These pandemic days are in-between our “stay at home” orders and being able to move around freely again. For many people it is getting more difficult to just stay home, and nerves are getting frayed.

For some of us it is a time between jobs, waiting for what is next. Wondering when our employer will be able to open up again, or if there will still be a job at the end of all this.

Many of our young people are between classes. They are trying
to learn online and know that it is not the same as being in the
classroom. We don’t even know what school will look like in the fall, which really brings anxiety to kids and parents, too.

Some of our people are looking to a graduation and then wondering what’s next. Usually this can be a time of fun, and all the celebrations. But that’s not true this year. They join the rest of the population concerned about an unknown future.

We are also between pastors, wondering who will be here as a part of our leadership team. Our transition team has finished up our site profile, the job description, and we are looking to find a call committee. Day by day we wait, but we know that ministry still happens here.

God also knows us to be in-between who we are today and what we will be tomorrow as God’s still beloved one. God knows us
always and we are never orphaned, God abides here and now in this in-between time.

In-between can be a time of loss and mourning. Jesus says to us that at such a time, I will not leave you alone. This is sacred time because God dwells here, in-between.

Until we gather together again may you be filled with God’s peace and love.