January 7th, 2022
Happy New Year, everyone!
Well, while there is much to look forward to in the year to come, 2022 arrives with a continuation of the challenges with-which COVID-19 has graced all of us.
Due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, it is only wise to hunker down to the best of our ability once more. As you know, our province has returned to a modified Stage 2 response, limiting outdoor activities to 10 or less, and indoor ones to five or less people. Ontario is further suggesting that all employers let their staff work remotely when at all possible. Thankfully, much of the work of our community can be done this way. With all this in mind, we have cancelled all recent building rentals and we will worship solely online for the next several weeks.
Our Sunday services for at least the next two Sundays will be on Zoom. Depending on how those go, we may look at completely pre-recorded offerings after that. Frankly, I'm hoping we can keep the interactive aspect Zoom provides. At least in my view, worship is better as theatre than cinema.
We won't stream services from Worship Hall until at least the middle of next month. On February 6th, we'll stream the Canadian Unitarian Council's national Sharing Our Faith worship service at 1pm.
That said, starting January 16 our Religious Exploration program will continue meeting outdoors in the church playground at 11am each Sunday until further notice. There will be no RE this coming Sunday.
Two other points related to all this; the first is that, at least to my knowledge, COVID has finally come to our community. While we have been careful, frankly we have also been lucky. Omicron is a game-changer in being so readily transmissible. Not that there was with the Alpha and Delta variants, but there is absolutely no shame in coming down with Omicron. Take care of yourself to the best of your ability and if you do test positive or feel like you may have contracted the virus, please let anyone you may have had contact with know. We are all our neighbors, especially now. Let's continue to do all we can to care for one another.
Second, as you might imagine the decision to pivot to Zoom worship services for the next couple weeks meant planning and re-organizing our efforts. Ministry and worship has never been solo efforts. There have been more phone calls and emails about this than I can count. I want to take this opportunity to offer a public and heartfelt Thank You to all the church staff as well as many, many FirstU volunteers. I've been serving our congregations for over 25 years now, and while I've been honored to work with great staff before none of the staff teams I've worked with had the same, "Rev. Eric, we'll make this work" approach the staff and volunteers at FirstU consistently exhibit. They are who has given me the most hope at the beginning of this New Year.
As always, my best wishes to you all. Together, let's do what we can to truly make this a Happy New Year.
Rev. Eric
Well, while there is much to look forward to in the year to come, 2022 arrives with a continuation of the challenges with-which COVID-19 has graced all of us.
Due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, it is only wise to hunker down to the best of our ability once more. As you know, our province has returned to a modified Stage 2 response, limiting outdoor activities to 10 or less, and indoor ones to five or less people. Ontario is further suggesting that all employers let their staff work remotely when at all possible. Thankfully, much of the work of our community can be done this way. With all this in mind, we have cancelled all recent building rentals and we will worship solely online for the next several weeks.
Our Sunday services for at least the next two Sundays will be on Zoom. Depending on how those go, we may look at completely pre-recorded offerings after that. Frankly, I'm hoping we can keep the interactive aspect Zoom provides. At least in my view, worship is better as theatre than cinema.
We won't stream services from Worship Hall until at least the middle of next month. On February 6th, we'll stream the Canadian Unitarian Council's national Sharing Our Faith worship service at 1pm.
That said, starting January 16 our Religious Exploration program will continue meeting outdoors in the church playground at 11am each Sunday until further notice. There will be no RE this coming Sunday.
Two other points related to all this; the first is that, at least to my knowledge, COVID has finally come to our community. While we have been careful, frankly we have also been lucky. Omicron is a game-changer in being so readily transmissible. Not that there was with the Alpha and Delta variants, but there is absolutely no shame in coming down with Omicron. Take care of yourself to the best of your ability and if you do test positive or feel like you may have contracted the virus, please let anyone you may have had contact with know. We are all our neighbors, especially now. Let's continue to do all we can to care for one another.
Second, as you might imagine the decision to pivot to Zoom worship services for the next couple weeks meant planning and re-organizing our efforts. Ministry and worship has never been solo efforts. There have been more phone calls and emails about this than I can count. I want to take this opportunity to offer a public and heartfelt Thank You to all the church staff as well as many, many FirstU volunteers. I've been serving our congregations for over 25 years now, and while I've been honored to work with great staff before none of the staff teams I've worked with had the same, "Rev. Eric, we'll make this work" approach the staff and volunteers at FirstU consistently exhibit. They are who has given me the most hope at the beginning of this New Year.
As always, my best wishes to you all. Together, let's do what we can to truly make this a Happy New Year.
Rev. Eric
