June 8, 2020
Dear Friends in Christ:
Good News is meant to be shared, and I have some really good news to share with you. You may have heard this already, but we are Re-Opening Congregational Worship on Saturday, June 20th and Sunday June 21st! As part of our new "Modified Summer Schedule" the worship services will be on Saturday at 5:30 PM, and Sunday at 9:00 and 11:00 AM. This Sunday, June 14th will be our last "live stream only" Sunday service.
How is this possible? This past Saturday, Governor Cuomo announced that houses of worship (churches) can re-open immediately at 25% occupancy. Your Church Council wisely had Guidelines in place that stipulated just that, 25% maximum attendance in our sanctuary (25% of 300 = 75 persons).
We decided not to jump too quickly, and chose June 20 and 21 as the weekend to re-open.
Later this week you will be receiving a mailing which will include a copy of the Council's Guidelines. There are 23 items in all, designed to insure our health and safety in worship. You need to know that we are in total compliance with all NY State and CDC Recommendations. I will just summarize some of the highlights for you:
- Hand Sanitizer used by everyone
- Face Masks are required
- Seating every other pew to a maximum of 75 in the sanctuary, 25 in the narthex
- Socially distant seating in the pews
- No hymnals or pew Bibles
- Holy Communion by "bread only" in your hand, and brought to your pew
- Pews cleaned after every service
- 9:00 AM Service will continue to be live streamed
You can read all 23 items when the Guidelines arrives in the mail.
In the meantime we give thanks to God who has watched over us for these three long months, and kept us connected to Him and to one another. I know that everyone will not be rushing back the first Sunday! Some will, of course, but others will need more time to consider when the right time to return might be. I promise to make no judgments on those who may choose to wait a little longer. At the same time, we know that "live stream worship" is no substitute to being together in person. We are called to be part of a community, and a community is a group of people who are together.
I am very proud of our congregation, and the work of our Church Council, in crafting these Guidelines that will guide us for the next few months. I hope that you will prayerfully consider what your response will be. To God be the glory!
Faith, not fear.
In Christ,
Pastor Rustico
