Tuesday night, at 7:00 pm, the Re-opening Team, along with Tim Murphy, Barry Cammer, and Pastor Barbara, met for an emergency meeting regarding the sudden surge of the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus. After the meeting we were able to reach Shanti and she agreed to help make adjustments. The decisions that were made at this meeting were later confirmed by Church Council.

After much conversation it was decided to suspend “in-person” worship services until we see how this Omicron variant plays out. According to the medical projections hospitalizations will spike in mid- January. That means the spread of Omicron is spiking now. The decision was made to suspend “in-person” services for Friday, December 24, Sunday, December 26, and January 2 at which time the reopening team will re-evaluate this decision.

While a vast majority of us, if not all, are vaccinated and boosted, the Omicron variant can “breakthrough” our vaccinations. While the unvaccinated will get very sick, the possibility remains that those of us who are vaccinated and boosted might also become infected. Symptoms might be mild not requiring hospitalization, but it’s the “Long-Covid” symptoms we also need to be very concerned about.

A Christmas Eve Service that was open to the public (as are all services) was problematic as we may be turning people away due to capacity limitations.

Upcoming services for Christmas Eve, December 26, and January 2 will be live-streamed on Our YouTube channel. You can tune in to those services live, or watch them anytime afterwards. We are continuing to experience inconsistent internet speeds at the church, so if you encounter buffering screens during any service, we would suggest checking back later to view the service for a seamless experience.

The spread of the Omicron virus, as you probably know by now, is happening faster than safety recommendations can be developed. We decided it’s wiser to be cautions than to be sorry. This decision will be reevaluated in two weeks. We want you safe, healthy, and well for when we can meet again.

Be safe, be well, wear your mask,

~ Rev. Barbara K. Peronteau, Bridge Pastor
~ Linda Young, Moderator