Dear Ones of St. Columba's,

  This Sunday we will offer, for the first time since March, an in-person worship opportunity on our property.  We are calling this worship Pop-Up Church, because it will feel very much like we are all just popping up, and popping in for worship. Before I talk with you about what we are doing, I want to talk about how I hope you will discern whether or not to attend. 

First I want to say this very clearly: if you have recently traveled out of state by airplane, or have any COVID-19 like symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose or shortness of breath or have been exposed to anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past two weeks please stay home.  We will be asking all who attend to sign a waiver stating that they are not and have not experienced these things. 

Second, if you are high risk or in any way nervous about the prospect of in-person worship, please stay home. We will continue to offer livestream worship at 9am on Sundays and zoom worship at 6:30pm on Wednesdays. You are still part of this community even if you decide not to risk in-person worship this week, or this summer. 

And finally - please make sure you and your family members are willing and able to adhere to all of the safety precautions we need to require in order to meet safely.  This includes:

• Wearing a face mask that covers your nose and mouth at all times when not in your vehicle. This is a requirement for everyone over the age of 5 years old and encouraged for everyone over the age of 3. 
• Keeping at least 6 feet of social distance between households. 
• checking in and signing the weekly waiver and contact information form, which you can download here to print and sign ahead, or sign when you check in to church. 
• Willingness to help all of us adhere to our Outdoor Worship Comprehensive Plan, available here. 

Dear ones, it is my hope that we can worship together in this way throughout the summer. Some of the factors that permit us to gather in person are out of our control - things like what happens with the virus, and whether or not it rains. But some of the factors that permit us to gather in person are completely in our control. If we are able to learn to be together according to these guidelines, to comply with requirements to wear masks and keep safe distance and reduce the number of common surfaces available to touch while sanitizing those that remain? Then we will be doing all that we can to continue to worship in person, together. Not only that, we will be building capacity for eventually returning to worship indoors, whenever that becomes safe enough to be permissible again. 

Okay, so if you have decided to come to worship, here is what you need to know: 

• This is a Bring Your Own worship service, taking place outside! Bring your own chair or blanket to sit on, and bring your own Book of Common Prayer to guide you through worship. Check out the videos Martin has made about using the BCP for Morning Prayer and if you need a BCP let us know! We have them to give, and you can pick one up during Food Bank hours curbside: Weds and Fri from 10am to noon.
• Restrooms will not be available. The service will be 45 minutes or less and the building will not be open to anyone but those staffing the service. Please use your own restroom before coming.
• Masks are required. If you do not have a mask we will provide you with a paper mask this week, and we have cloth masks on order as well. If there is someone over the age of 5 present who is not wearing a mask, we will not be able to hold the worship service. 
• Please use the main entrance to the parking lot on your way in. Ushers will greet you, remind you of the safety requirements, and direct you to the check-in table where you can turn in/sign your waiver and receive a sticker that lets everyone know you are checked in. 

Friends, this will be strange. It will be strange to be with a group of people again. It will be strange to worship using Morning Prayer instead of Eucharist, and wearing masks, and keeping our distance from each other. It will be strange to know that some who belong to us and with us cannot be here because it is not yet safe enough for them to join.

It will also be wonderful. It will be wonderful to see you, and to know we can do the things we need to do in order for some of us to safely gather and pray. 

Beloved, I pray for you daily. I miss you every day as well. This is but one step - strange, exciting, weird, and wonderful - on the journey we began together when all this started and the world closed down. The journey is to stay connected, to stay church, and to take care of each other.

I am deeply glad to be on this journey with you. Whether online or outside, I hope I see you Sunday.

with care and gratitude,

Alissa