The Session and your pastors are cognizant of the concerns surrounding COVID-19 and are aware of the impact that it is having in parts of our state, country and world. After discussion it has been decided that it would reduce the risk of spreading the virus if we did not hold public worship services, beginning now. Therefore, given the reality that every member of our church is precious, public worship will not be held on Sunday, March 15. There will be no education hour, and the Adult Education class related to the reorganization of the Deacons will be offered at another time.
Instead of coming to the church on Sunday, we hope that you will worship God in your setting. To help in this, attached is the sermon that Miriam would have offered on the 15th as part of the current sermon series, “Four Gospels, One Jesus.” Before reading it, you are encouraged to spend some time reading the Gospel of Mark – it’s the shortest Gospel! Also attached are the Prayers of the People created for March 15. You can also read Psalm 121. You are strongly encouraged to call those with whom you usually speak to here at church on Sundays and maintain your weekly connections. As in the past when services have been cancelled, liturgy and prayers will be offered on Sunday on behalf of the community by one or both of the pastors. Every Sunday, God is the “audience” of our worship. One of the church’s most important tasks is to offer worship to God on the Christian Sabbath.
Many factors went into this decision by the Session: Many of our members are those who are vulnerable to this virus (older adults and people with serious chronic medical conditions, such as lung disease, heart disease, diabetes). There will always be people at an open meeting who are not especially good at containing their hands, covering their sneeze, etc. “Social distancing” can be a very effective way of limiting the spread of the virus, but it needs to be embraced fully by trusted organizations like churches for this to be successful. Much of what we do can pass germs: touching the offering plate, touching food (and the basket it is in) after worship, communion, even the bulletin is touched as it is handed out. Prior to this decision, some people who are part of the “at risk” population have told us they will not attend this Sunday.
We will be taking our cues from the progress of the virus to determine a day on which public worship will resume. We will update everyone as we find ways to compensate for what we lose by not gathering as a community. Please know that the pastors and Session are holding all of you in prayer during these anxious times.
