Dear Friends,
I know that many of you are concerned about the omicron variant’s arrival and rapid spread in Gallatin County and across the country. I want to share some of the things we are doing at Pilgrim to keep each other and our neighbors safe and healthy.
First, we will continue to worship together in-person and online, to pray for healthcare providers and anyone dealing with Covid, and to “be the church,” in as many ways as we can.
Second, I have been consulting our church leadership, other faith community leaders, and the Gallatin County Health Department this week about what we can do to help slow omicron down. In my conversation with Brian on the Health Department Covid Hotline, (God bless my new friend Brian and all of his good work), he affirmed that we are doing nearly all we can to keep each other safe and keep our healthcare system and providers from overload and overwhelm. He also thanked us for supporting people spiritually through this difficult time. I felt really proud of us all, and I told Brian he would be in my prayers now too.
Two additional steps we can take right now, on a temporary basis are:
1-Take a break from treats and coffee after worship. Starting this week, we will put coffeehour on hold for at least 4-6 weeks (I know I could do with a break in my cookie consumption after the holidays…perhaps I am not the only one?). We can still visit in the narthex, outside in our coats and hats, and in the sanctuary after worship.
2-Encourage all of our church-related groups and committees to meet online for the next few weeks. (I think almost all of our groups are doing this anyway, including our weekly staff meeting.)
Here are the other steps we will be taking to continue to make Pilgrim a safe and positive place for us and our neighbors to gather during the ongoing challenges of Covid:
-Socially distance in the sanctuary during worship. Please leave 2-3 seats between yours and other households, or ask before you sit closer.
-We will stop passing the offering plate for a bit. There will be offering plates at the front and back of the church during worship. You can bring your offering up or back during the offertory, or drop it off as you enter or as you leave worship. Or you can give online on our website or set up an auto-bank withdrawal: 100% touchless and you don’t have to remember your wallet/purse/checkbook for church.
-Continue to allow readers, special musicians and other worship leaders to choose whether to keep or remove masks during their parts in the service.
-Keep the service as close to an hour (or less), as possible.
-Sing softly, or hum into our masks during hymns and congregational singing (or just listen).
-Make N95 and KN95 masks available to anyone who needs one (available in the church office and outside the sanctuary on Sundays). The blue medical masks remain available also. However, N95 and KN95’s are recommended to slow the spread of omicron.
-Send out a reminder to all of our renters about masking up in the building, and encourage them also to take a break on food/drink service for now (though they can still make their own decisions on this).
-Maintain high quality portable air filters and high quality HVAC system filters in the building, especially the sanctuary.
And, a reminder, in the spirit of love, health, and wholeness: Please stay home and participate in worship online, if you feel at all ill.
Let us know you’re under the weather, so we can pray for you, send a note, and ask you if you need soup (or anything at all). Seriously, please contact the church office if you would like a call, a visit, a meal, or other supports during this challenging time.
If there is one thing Covid has taught us in almost two years, it is that we can be and do church in a wider variety of ways than we ever imagined. Covid may be strong, but our spirit of love in Christ is stronger, and will last longer than this dang pandemic.
With you in love and faithfulness (and deep sighs too),
Pastor Laura