Dear friends in Christ,
First, allow me to take this moment to thank you all for the patience, understanding, flexibility, love, and concern that you have all had during this most eventful year-plus of dealing with the effects that COVID has brought to our world and to our life together as a church family. By God’s grace and with His help, we have made it so far, and we pray His continued blessing and presence as we continue to walk together in the coming days.
We are certainly thankful to finally see that proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel” as our national, state, and local officials have begun to relax many of the restrictions that we have been living under as we have worked our best to keep ourselves and one another safe and healthy. With the changes made to the restrictions and mandates that we have tried our best to follow, our Ministry Planning Group (MPG) met this past Sunday to review our “Stay-Safe Rules” and make adjustments to the changes that have been made by our government leaders.
Beginning this Sunday, May, 30, the following is being observed at Trinity:
1. As the county has not yet lifted the indoor mask mandate, we will continue to ask those attending worship to wear their masks as much as possible while in the building. When the county announces that the indoor mask mandate has been lifted and that announcement becomes effective, mask wearing will become optional in the building.
2. Physical distancing requirements are now observed using your own best judgement. We have removed the pew ropes so you may sit where you wish in the nave, balcony, and overflow, using all available pews and seats. I know that many of us are “self-trained” to give one another necessary space and that we will continue to love and respect one another in this regard.
3. We have chosen to remove the request to limit “indoor socializing” as we seem to be fine with our being inside with one another following worship.
4. All other parts of our “rules” remain in place, especially with those dealing with worship (worship materials, gathering of offerings, and distribution of Communion). The MPG has chosen to keep these in place through the summer, and will review them again for any revisions or changes to occur in the fall.
A copy of the revised “Trinity Stay-Safe Rules” can be found here for your review and reference.
Along with many of you, I know that our “getting back to normal” is something that we have all longed for. While this health emergency is not yet over, we know that much has happened to allow us all a sense that, even though we cannot turn the clock back to the way things once were, we are moving forward to resuming our lives and activities in ways that are safe and that continue to look out for the health and well-being of one another.
So let us all continue to love and care for each other, and let us joyfully be together in the Lord’s House, giving Him thanks for all that He has done and that He will keep on doing for us and for our world. I’m looking forward to being with you all this coming Sunday, Trinity Sunday, as we celebrate our God and His Name by whom we are named.
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host:
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen!
Peace and blessings,
+Pastor
