People of Grace:
Even though I long for us to be together in person and even though the governor has allowed businesses to reopen across the state of Arizona, we continue to meet virtually only. The reason is that, according to the CDC and other scientists working to understand Covid-19, the risks of gathering groups of people for an extended period of time inside a building are simply too great right now. Those most vulnerable are people over the age of 60 and anyone with underlying health conditions. Because of what I have read by epidemiologists and other scientists, I fear that we will see a huge spike in the number of deaths from Covid-19 in the coming weeks, and because meeting for worship in person is one of the most risky situations we could participate in in terms of virus transmission, we cannot meet. For me, this is a matter of loving our neighbor--and specifically, one another. The death of a member of the Grace community—due to Covid-19—would devastate us. So, please be patient and hopeful in this time when we must refrain from gathering. We--the Grace community guided and loved and strengthened by God--will get through this together!
Re-Opening Plan
Guided by the CDC recommendations and the recommendation of our synodical bishop Deborah Hutterer, the Grace congregational council will decide at what point we will hold in-person gatherings at Grace. When they do decide to move forward with re-opening, we will do so in 5 steps.
Small groups begin to meet in person if they wish, including KnitWits, Bells of Grace, Praise Band, Prayer Group, and Council. When people are ill or otherwise susceptible to virus transmission, they will be encouraged to stay home.
Small rental groups begin to meet in person if they wish, including The Trunk Space, Native Elders, and New Life in Christ Fellowship.
In-person worship, Grace Time Bible Study, Kaleo, and Native American Urban Ministry (NAUM) resume with significant protocol changes; see below for a partial description of changes. When people are ill or otherwise susceptible to virus transmission, they will be encouraged to stay home.
Pancake breakfast, Kaleo meals, NAUM meals, fellowship, and Grace Room distribution resume with significant protocol changes.
Everything resumes, including regular office hours, Trevor’s Vision, and heat respite—but likely with caps on the number of people and significant protocol changes.
In-Person Worship Changes
As we wait and take good care of ourselves and our community, you may wonder what worship will be like when we return to in-person worship. We will not know for sure how long these changes will persist, perhaps until there is a vaccine for Covid-19. Also, please note: we will continue to live stream worship on Facebook at least until there is a vaccine and perhaps indefinitely.
We will worship at either one or two services, most likely both services in the Sanctuary. Every other pew will be designated for sitting in order to ensure six feet between all worshipers, with the exclusion of families sitting together.
Because singing is the most risky activity in terms of virus transmission, we will not be singing but instead inviting everyone to read the words of hymns or songs as the music is played by Brandon or the praise band. If you have your own percussion instrument (e.g. tambourine), please bring it with you, and if you play a string instrument, please contact our organist Brandon or praise band leader Chad to figure out how you could contribute to worship music.
Even choral reading—all of us speaking at the same time—is risky, so our unison reading will be cut down.
If you have your own mask, we will ask you to wear it to worship. For those who do not have a mask, we will provide one for you and will ask you to wear it the entire time you are on the Grace campus.
Hand sanitizing stations will be provided, and every person will use sanitizer as they enter the building. We will not pass the offering plate but instead invite people to bring their offering forward to a plate in a central location. Bulletins will not be handed out but set out a few days prior on the pews. Hymnals and other materials will be cleared out of the space; words to hymns and songs will be printed in the bulletin.
These and other changes will be made for the well-being and safety of us all—and the well-being and safety of everyone else with whom we come into contact. Because it will be vitally important that everyone honor these changes in our life together, when someone is not following these protocols, we will ask that person to comply with them. If they do not, we will ask them to leave immediately.
I hope we are over-reacting! Because of the nature of the pandemic, if we take good care of our community and do not see the transmission of the virus in the Grace community, it will look like we over-reacted. But in fact, it will mean we made the best choices for the health and safety of us all.
Of course, I hope that we will be able to move rapidly through these steps and get on the other side of this pandemic. We all hope for that! In the meantime, we nurture our connection with God through a variety of spiritual practices, love one another, and serve our neighbors.
With so much love for each of you,
Pastor Sarah