Newsletter

July 2020 Newsletter

Dear People of St Andrews,

Your vestry has decided that the risks of returning to regular in-person worship outweigh the benefits at this time. They did this for four reasons.

The first is that the CDC still cautions people older than 65 and those with underlying health conditions to avoid being in gatherings of people. Many in our St. Andrew’s family are in this vulnerable group. The second reason is that science tells us that air conditioning circulates virus particles and increases the speed with which they travel. Anecdotal evidence is that asymptomatic people sitting near air conditioning vents have infected everyone in the gathering. Also, under the guidelines that the bishop and diocese issued, our worship would be limited to 25 people. That number includes the priest, those who would be helping manage traffic flow and sanitize spaces, and an allotment for visitors. Choral and congregational singing produces air droplets that linger in the air for up to three hours, potentially affecting all who breathe that air. The bishop, therefore, also has banned singing during in-person worship. We have been averaging more than 50 people at our Zoom worship, which includes singing. Given these facts, as well as the labor that would be involved, resumption of in-person worship for our Sunday morning service doesn’t seem the best option right now.

Please know that we do understand the isolation felt by many people who are sheltered at home without computers. I will be leading a short Eucharist outside on the evening of Sunday, July 26, especially for these members of our community. More information, such as time, guidelines, and how to sign up, are included elsewhere in this newsletter. This evening worship also is limited to no more than 25 people, so I ask that it be reserved for those who have not been able to join us on Zoom. Pre-registration is required. If this worship works well, I plan to offer another one on the fourth Sunday in August. We are continuing the vestry phone calls to each of you, and I will continue to have the Wednesday morning check-in time via phone.

I also want to share our plan for returning to regular in-person worship, and, for how we will worship in the future. Doug Wintersteen, Rachel Gregg, and I are working with the vestry to create a hybrid service. Those joining in-person and those joining by Zoom can both participate in this service. It will allow us to accommodate as many people who want to worship with us because even though the in-person numbers are limited, the Zoom will not be. While it won’t allow for congregational singing in the nave, it will provide us with live and recorded music from our organist, our cantors, Matthew and Melissa Pestinger, and from choir members. They will sing and play from another location, and their music will come to all worshippers, in-person via a feed, and to Zoom worshippers over Zoom.

The virus caused us to discern new ways in which we are called to worship, but this hybrid service also has benefits post-pandemic. When we have winter weather, folks will be able to worship with us without risking their safety driving or walking. Members who have moved away can join us. And, we will be able to share the unconditional love of God with a broader group of people than we can with worship only within our walls. I’m not sure when we will begin this hybrid service; we need equipment that has to come from other countries, and cross-border trade is slow right now. We will, however, move to this service as quickly as we can.

COVID-19 is so infectious, and potentially so dangerous to those already vulnerable, that the green light for everyone to return safely to in-person worship won’t come until a vaccine is found. God is calling us, however, to be one worshipping community regardless of whether we attend online or in-person. God is calling us to create something new. Creating anew is never easy. Yet, with God’s help, we will create something good.

Randi +

July 2020 Newsletter

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