Letter from Lindy Jan 23

Hello Pilgrims singing in the rain, before freezing temperatures descend.

I’m thinking you already know how this love letter begins… we are moving our Sunday service online again this week. Perhaps not as worried about snow accumulation this time around, but with the forecast dipping into the teens, that rainwater becomes something a bit more treacherous on the roads. So let’s stay home again to worship our God in beloved virtual community. I felt your presence and I hope felt your worship team pouring out its love across the screen. It was a wedding after all ;) Our Mental Health workshop will also be zoomed this Sunday.

With two virtual Sundays soon to be under our belt, our recently renamed Covid Monitoring Team put its collective head together to wonder whether again being virtual temporarily, as we await Omicron’s peak, might be an additional step Pilgrim takes in its carefully laid-out pandemic path. We have been so prudent in our approach. I have been grateful for the safe space we have created for all who seek to join us, offering options that fit each family’s need. My heart is as settled as it can be with the way in which we have discerned what feels “right” amidst the ever-changing fluidity of this virus. So a few more decisions have been made to continue to lean into our best practices.

Sunday, January 30 we will be covenanting through the ritual of baptism with the Miguel family as we make promises to MacKenzie to help her come to know Jesus and find hope, peace, love and joy on the Way. Given her vulnerability as an infant, along with Mac and Kimmery’s families traveling to bear witness, we believe one of the greatest gifts we could give her on that day would be our collective sacrifice to worship virtually rather than in person. I pray that decision feels good for us all.

Sunday, February 6, I hope you have already marked on your calendar our congregational meeting to receive the recommendation from Pilgrim’s Budget Committee and Church Council for our 2022 budget. There is much to discuss. And so much to affirm. Especially and including the extraordinary work of the Budget and Stewardship teams. And also you–who rose to the incredible challenge of reaching beyond our comfort zone toward a pledge goal that at the time felt out of our reach. Heavens, did we discover a thing or two about Pilgrim resolve. We have also learned along the way that attempting to host a meeting where participants are both in person and virtual can create an equity disparity for those online. Therefore Council has decided that the congregational meeting will be held exclusively virtual. So with us all online immediately after worship, it makes most sense to also worship virtually.

In discerning these worship dates on a case by case basis, we also realized that we were rediscovering our best practices of recommending what events should/could be in person and/or virtual. A model we will re-engage for the next few weeks as we ride what we hope is the final wave of pandemic COVID as it becomes endemic instead. Thus, if you are a host of a group that meets inside over the next few weeks (through the first week or so of February), if you would reach out to Ami or me and we will run it by the team for their recommendation. We have done so with our ministry partners who use our space, some who have already made decisions to pause for the safety of their group.

Pilgrims, I know we will move through this time with the love and grace that has been with us throughout. This season is no different.

Pastor Lindy (she/her) why pronouns matter

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