Here is the text of the video message for those who prefer to read, rather than watch. You can also find a PDF of the text by clicking the red button on the home page of our website, www.2ndpres.org. 

May 19^th, 2021

Greetings friends,

As I’m sure you are aware by now, the CDC updated its COVID-19 guidelines last week regarding the wearing of face coverings indoors for those who are fully vaccinated. At its regularly stated meeting last night, the Session spent time reflecting on this change and what it means for our congregation and our policies regarding the usage of face coverings. After very careful, thoughtful, and prayerful discussion, the Session has made the following decisions:

1. Beginning today, May 19^th, face coverings will be optional for those who are fully vaccinated while in the church building for meetings, Sunday School classes, Bible studies, or other activities, excluding worship. We do request and encourage you to still maintain a safe physical distance from one another and the staff, especially if you choose not to wear a face covering.

2. We are continuing to ask everyone to wear a face covering during worship, as well as practice physical distancing and refrain from physical contact, regardless of vaccination status, through the end of June.

3. Beginning Sunday, July 4^th, face coverings will be optional during worship for those who are fully vaccinated.

I would like to explain some of the reasoning behind this new, bifurcated policy, so you can understand why the Session chose to make the decision they did.

We have said all along that we should follow the science, and we should follow the science now. We have known for several weeks that it is relatively safe to be unmasked while outdoors, even for the unvaccinated. Now, the science tells us that even indoors with groups of people, those who are vaccinated are not likely to transmit the coronavirus to others, nor are they likely to contract it themselves. Even if the vaccinated do contract the virus, the protection from serious illness is quite strong.

By allowing those who are vaccinated to make the choice about whether or not to wear a face covering, we are showing that we not only believe in personal responsibility, but in the efficacy and safety of the vaccine. We also hope this will encourage those who have not yet gotten the vaccine to do so in order to return to “normal” activities sooner, rather than later.

As Christians, we are called to also follow the law of love. We have said all along that wearing face coverings, keeping our distance, refraining from physical contact, washing our hands, and staying home when sick are the ways that we show love to our neighbor. We believe wearing face coverings for a few more weeks in worship is a way to continue to do that.

The reality is people are processing the new recommendations differently. There are some who are ready to go without face coverings immediately. For others, face coverings have become like a security blanket and they will need some time before they feel safe removing them. For still others, those who are immunocompromised or unvaccinated or just very cautious, face coverings will continue to be a way of life for the foreseeable future.

We wish the CDC had given us a few weeks to prepare for the transition that was announced last week, but they didn’t. We, however, have the chance to do just that. By asking the entire congregation to continue to wear face coverings during worship for the next 6 Sundays, regardless of vaccination status, we give those who need it a little extra time to mentally prepare for the next phase in returning to normalcy. We realize that some of you will think this is too long, but we are asking you to consider the needs of others by practicing patience and forbearance.

When the Christians in Corinth were experiencing divisions over the practice of eating meat sacrificed to idols, as well as unequal access to the Lord’s Supper, Paul encouraged them to seek unity. Everything is permitted, he writes in 1 Corinthians 10, but not everything is beneficial; everything is permitted, but not everything builds others up. Paul encourages the Corinthians to think first of the needs of the community. No one should look to their own advantage, he says, but they should look out for each other. We believe that wearing face coverings in worship for just a few more weeks is the best way for us to look out for each other.

Our Vision Statement says that we are a “welcoming” community and we want to be sure that we are truly welcoming of all, regardless of vaccination status. We don’t want to put people in the difficult position of feeling uncomfortable or having to lie about their vaccination status, we don’t want people to feel unsafe during worship, and we don’t want the focus to be on who is and who is not wearing a mask. As Pastor Sarah said so well on Sunday, “If our focus is on who is and who isn’t vaccinated, our focus isn’t where it should be, on God.” We want to continue to focus on God during worship and we believe all of us continuing to wear face coverings is the way to do that for now.

Finally, I want to say a word about how we should treat one another regarding the issue of face coverings, whether in the building for activities now, or in worship starting July 4^th. Wearing a face covering is a matter of personal choice, regardless of vaccination status. It is not a political statement, it is not an ideological statement, it is not a judgment statement. It as an article of clothing – no more, no less. Some people choose to wear a tie to worship, others choose not to. Some people choose to wear short sleeves, others choose to wear a sweater. Some people wear pants, and some people wear dresses, and some people wear shorts.

And some people will choose to wear a face covering while others will not. We wouldn’t say to someone, “Why are you wearing a sweater? It’s summer! You don’t have to wear that.” We wouldn’t come to a committee meeting and say, “Why are you wearing blue jeans? No one else is wearing blue jeans.” In the same way, we shouldn’t say to someone, “Why are you wearing a mask? You know we don’t have to wear those anymore, right?” Nor should we say to someone, “You’re not wearing a mask! How dare you be so thoughtless.”

Let’s put our trust in one another and have the confidence that each person will choose what’s best for themselves and for those around them. Let us be respectful and understanding of each person’s right to wear whatever they choose, face coverings included. The science says it’s safe not to; psychology says some will want to; the Bible says to practice love and forbearance in our relationships with others.

One last thing regarding some of the other decisions that have been made regarding worship. You will notice this Sunday that hymnbooks and Bibles have been returned to the pews. Since the science says transmission of the virus through contact with objects is negligible, and since we have only one worship service a week and these books will not be touched by multiple people in a short span of time, we feel it is safe for those who choose to use them again to do so. The Scripture readings and words to the hymns will continue to be on the screen, both for those at home and for those in the sanctuary who prefer not to use a hymnbook or Bible, but the hymn lyrics will no longer be printed in the bulletin.

Also, for the time being we will continue to celebrate communion using the self-contained, self-serve cups, and we will continue to refrain from passing the offering plates and the pew pads. The Worship Committee and the Session will continue to discuss these, and other issues, throughout the summer.

I continue to lift all of you up in prayer as we navigate the ever-changing nature of this pandemic. I rejoice with those of you who have been able to visit with family and friends again, and I sympathize with those of you who are still being extra cautious. It’s been great to see some of you in person in the building and in worship again, and it’s been uplifting to see that there are still many who are joining us virtually for worship and Bible study. I pray that each of you feel the presence of God in your lives and know the peace of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit in your midst.

Grace and peace…

Pastor Tim