Hi, Everybody:
This Sunday, January 16, is the 2nd Sunday after Epiphany and Fill the Food Barrel Sunday. Zoom Sunday School, Communion, and Coffee Chat will take place at 9:00, 9:15, and 9:30 am respectively. The 10 am Worship Service is still in-person, indoor, in masks, and inclement (if you sit near one of the open windows). Try the front half of the pews if you want a warmer experience. At the meeting last Sunday, the Church Council decided that 33% of capacity (about 50 people) is a reasonable amount for bubble distancing. Currently, we’re getting about 40 people on Sundays. Council will continue to monitor the situation, and if attendance increases significantly or the pandemic gets worse, they will explore our options.
Next week, Pastor Tim will be out of the office. If you are in need of pastoral care, contact the office, and I’ll see if I can hook you up. While I can lend a sympathetic ear, my mouth doesn’t always follow suit – you’re better off with a professional.
The Jesus and Justice Collective had another great event, hosted by CTK on January 9th via Zoom. Four Latinx Christian leaders shared about their life experiences, their faith, and the way they experience the American church in a sobering, honest and heartfelt way. They proclaimed the Gospel through their very bodies and stories. If you missed the 90-minute workshop, here is the recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKEUZaeox7w. Their next event will be on February 20th from 2-3.30 pm (place TBD) with Pastor and Author Dominique DuBois Gilliard. He is the Director of Racial Righteousness and Reconciliation for the Evangelical Covenant Church. His book Subversive Witness: Scripture’s Call to Leverage Privilege is powerful. They hope you will join them for the conversation.
Some special Sundays coming up to keep in mind: January 30 is RIC Sunday when we lift up our intentional welcome to the LGBTQIA+ community. February 13 is the Souper Bowl of Caring, with its call for donations of non-perishables and money to local food charities. And on February 27 everybody’s favorite, HTLC’s Annual Congregational Meeting at noon via Zoom. Too late! You already read it! No excuses for not being there. You’ll be getting a more formal notice soon.
– Keith
your friendly Parish Life Coordinator (i.e. Church Secretary)
