Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Beginning this Sunday, March 22, services will be broadcast virtually via Zoom. Instructions for participating can be found here.
Monday, March 16, 2020
Church Council held a special meeting this evening to discuss precautions and continued planning in response to the coronavirus pandemic and national, state, and local guidance. Careful consideration was given to ways we as a church community can limit the transmission of the virus. After thoughtful deliberation, the following new procedures will be in place, effective immediately, until Monday, April 20, unless otherwise notified.
- Sunday morning in-person worship and religious education at the church will be suspended. Working with the Worship Committee, the Rev. James Galasinski will lead worship virtually. Stay tuned for further information and instructions for how to participate.
- There will be no in-person meetings held at the church; all meetings of church committees and other groups will be held virtually. A Zoom account is available for all church work and instructions for set up and use are available.
- No outside groups will be permitted to use the church building.
- Church staff will be available by phone and email.
If you have questions, please contact Church Council President Jenn Whittaker or the Rev. James Galasinski, or contact the church office 315.386.2498.
Friday, March 13, 4 p.m.
Please note that this Sunday we will have a limited social hour with just coffee, tea, and juice. If you are in a vulnerable and high-risk population, please stay safely at home and join us via stream (see below).
Church leaders will be meeting Monday evening to discuss further options.
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
As we deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, let us all acknowledge this is not the first crisis we have met and it will not be the last. Yet we have survived and will continue to thrive together. This is a time of anxiety, fear, and uncertainty. If you are experiencing intense emotions right now, you are not alone, this is normal and understandable. I have been in communication with Church Council President, Jenn Whittaker and the Chair of the Safety Committee, John Danis.
I plan to hold regular Sunday worship services. I think the healing space of our sanctuary is needed more than ever. I am changing what I planned to preach on and instead we will take a long and strong look at the psychology of fear, risk, and uncertainty.
We are a people of love and reason. Please stay informed. Things may change. Please stay in touch here and on our Facebook page. And above all, wash hands with hot water and soap, and use alcohol based sanitizer. If you are sick and contagious, please don’t come to worship. If you feel gathering together for worship is too much of a risk, I trust your individual wisdom to decide what it best for you.
There are a few small changes that I plan to start this Sunday:
>>>Instead of having a line of where I shake everyone’s hands after the service, I am going to bow slightly with my palms together and say “Namaste.” You are then welcome to reciprocate.
>>>I encourage you to spread out in the sanctuary.
>>>Our janitorial services have been instructed to sanitize things many people touch like door handles.
>>>We are going to stream our Sunday service which will be available on Facebook Live. All you need to do is go to our Facebook page at 10:30 a.m.
As a congregation, we will get through this. We are here for each other. I am here for you. Please do not hesitate to call or email me. And if you would like, please contact someone on the Pastoral Care Team (Helen Hutchinson, Leo Burger, Pete Wyckoff, Carol Pynchon, Claire Gardam, Valerie Ingram).
In Peace,The Rev. James Galasinski