May 28, 2020
Dear Friends,
This past week, Epiphany’s Regathering Committee (me, Mtr. Pamela, Mark Oliphant, Lisa Baehr, Bill Hoover, Pat Meyer, Carole Menzel, and Margaret Stromberg) have started to work through the details of how and when Epiphany regathers for in-person worship and ministry. We don’t have a plan to announce at this time. But here are some things to expect.
- The regathering committee is working toward having a plan to present to the vestry for their input and (hopefully) approval on June 9. From there we need to share our plan with Bishop John for his approval, and of course with the congregation.
- We will start small by encouraging Epiphany small groups to regather while practicing appropriate social distancing and sanitation.
- In-person worship will follow, but may not initially be on Sunday morning. Instead we are discussing offering simple Eucharists at a couple of different times during the week to complement, but not replace our Sunday Livestream worship. Our thinking at this point is that our Livestream service works well for many of us and will continue to be needed for some time by that significant part of our congregation who is particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. We are also aware that fulfilling the mandatory requirements for in-person worship is going to mean major adaptations to our “normal” way of doing things at Epiphany.
- We are looking into holding a couple of all-church outdoor worship services this summer, much like we have in the past on Pentecost Sundays.
- Our priorities remain what they have always been, faithfulness to Jesus our Savior, proper concern for the welfare of our congregation members and neighbors, and a deep desire to offer to God “beautiful worship and believing prayer,” build a “multigenerational congregation,” and “equip every member to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.”
Friends, thank you for your continued prayers and participation in our church body here at Epiphany. Any of the plans above may change as the information we have changes (this has been quite the season for that, hasn’t it?). At the same time, I wanted to share with you where we are right now.
God Bless,
