COVID Policies Update
Dear Friends,
I was pleased, as I know many of you were, to see the updated guidelines from the CDC on the sorts of activities that we can consider safe for fully vaccinated people.
The COVID Task Force and I met yesterday to process those guidelines and figure out exactly what they will mean for us at St. Peter's. Below I'll sketch out the changes.
Through the pandemic, we have tried to balance our call to love our neighbors through our decisions, our call to join together in worship in in-person ways, and our longing for life "as normal." We strive to continue holding that balance with these updated policies.
Service Registrations
We are no longer requiring registration for worship, beginning this weekend. This is not because we believe we have unlimited capacity. Rather, it is because we believe that the registration process is keeping people away from worship by being an unnecessary barrier. We will monitor numbers on Sundays and we have a plan should the congregation exceed safe distancing guidelines. We continue to ask people to sit in the "rows with bows," and maintain distance between household groups.
9 o'clock Worship
Since September it has been a blessing to gather together in our back parking lot. We've dealt with sun, rain, and plenty of wind, all with good humor and grace toward one another! We believe, though, that our outdoor worship has served its purpose. Beginning this Sunday, the 9 o'clock service will be held in the Nave.
Communion
Beginning this Sunday, we will offer the cup along with the bread. However, it must be said that for many people, the safest response is simply reverently to acknowledge the real presence of Christ in the wine. Our hope is that, over time, it will be safer for--and more people will feel comfortable with--receiving the cup. This means we will also make use of fully vaccinated Eucharistic Ministers once again. If you are interested in serving in that capacity, let me know!
Choir
I am working with Tim Hinck to form a plan to have choir members who are fully vaccinated back and singing together in the near future.
Coffee Hour Fellowship
We will begin to have coffee hour fellowship following our 9 and 11 o'clock services in the near future. This will be held outside in front of the church, weather permitting. We are still hashing out best practices, so it will not begin immediately. This Sunday, we will offer cookies and lemonade in celebration of the Feast of Pentecost.
Masks
There will be a change to our masking policy in the near future. However, out of consideration for supply clergy coming while I'm on vacation in June, we will hold off on any changes until June 20. For now, masks are still required for all who attend.
Vaccinations
In our task force discussion, we kept coming back to the importance of widespread vaccinations in our congregation. We all felt compelled to communicate directly with you about them: Everyone should consult with your family physician, of course, but for almost all of us this vaccine has proven to be extraordinarily safe and effective. Widespread vaccination in our church will allow us to get back to a normal rhythm of life and worship more quickly than we'd imagined possible, even a few months ago. So please go get your shot if you can! They are currently available as walk-up appointments at most pharmacies. Having had a round of one of the two-dose shots, I can attest that, while there were mild side effects, they were more than worth it!
I know that this is a lot of information. I know that these changes will, as has been the case through the pandemic, be more than some think is appropriate and far too cautious for many others. Please know that much care and thought has gone into them, and they were all agreed upon unanimously by our task force members at our meeting earlier this week. But also know that my door is open if you have any questions or concerns one way or another about these changes. I am thankful to be walking with you all through this time.
God Bless,
Fr. Quinn+