**Because of the rise in cases due to the omicron variant, we will worship virtually on Sundays at 10 am through Feb. 6. Please double check the church calendar here to confirm events are virtual or in-person. We’ll provide updates as circumstances develop. (1/5/2022)
(The content below has not been updated.)
We continue to have in person church, and because all LHJs are under 10 cases per 100,000 residents, outdoor events like the After Party become mask-optional, although folks should still be sensitive to others around them.
We know that for many reasons, not everyone will be ready to return to worship in person, of course. Rest assured that we are doing our best to make sure the online services remain as rich and intimate as possible. We will continue to incorporate some of the best parts of online worship that we’ve loved over the last 18 months, including some creative recorded pieces. But we are looking forward to seeing at least some of you in person in the sanctuary on Oct. 10. The following week, Oct. 17, will be Confirmation Sunday, and then we’ll have a festive “Regathering Sunday” on Oct. 24, which is also the Sunday we’ll bring our pledges of sustaining giving for the next year.
You may be feeling a little nervous about the safety of being indoors together, even with low rates of community spread. Moe Wright offers this very helpful explanation of our ventilation system, which filters and clears the air in the sanctuary:
“There is a very good ventilation system in the sanctuary. I do not know exactly how many air changes per hour there are, but the fan and ductwork were sized for an auditorium. The system has MERV 13 filters which are acceptable for COVID virus reduction and it mixes in outside air. In addition, it blows the filtered air upward thus lifting aerosols away from the occupied zone. The ventilation system runs continuously when the building is occupied. This will apply in the cold as well as the warmer weather.”
Our congregation has an extremely high rate of vaccination for people who are eligible, and with appropriate masking and distancing, fully-vaccinated leadership, and ventilation, we’re confident we have the tools in place to keep ourselves safe in the building. We’re in it for the long haul–responding to changing conditions with our best attempt at a balance of stability and nimbleness, committed to leaving nobody behind, carrying our creativity and joy forward together. See you soon!