A Message from Pastor John

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September 22, 2020

Dear Immanuel Family and Friends,

My prayer over you has been the Apostle John’s prayer from his third letter, “I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit.” Session has voted in favor of beginning outdoor worship in the church courtyard (between Witherspoon and the Administration Building) starting Sunday, October 4^th at 8:00 am. We are excited to take this important step of faith, while also seeking to conduct these services prayerfully and in the wisest manner possible, guided by recommendations from the scientific and public health communities. This first phase of re-entry will be a new and memorable expression of our worship to God in a unique time in history. As we trust in God in this pandemic, we will persevere and make the best of a challenging situation. This is a humble first step that we wish could be available for all right now, but that time has not yet come, but will come in due time. We thank you, in advance, for honoring these guidelines for our worship together. You may view on immanuelpc.org the congregational meeting from September 13^th that goes into greater detail about our re-entry plans.

1. We must be prepared to be nimble with adjusting the service if COVID cases in Pima County are not at an acceptable level or if there is inclement weather. Please check our website, Facebook, or email to make sure services will be meeting. We must be prepared for pauses and re-starts in this process. Our weekly online service will be continuing just as we have known it this last half-year.
2. Reservations are required in order to participate in our fifty-person services. We kindly request that there be no walk-ins. You can make one reservation per week (either for an individual or immediate family). If the service is full, you can reserve for the following week. Reservations can be made any of these ways: on our website at www.immanuelpc.org (click the RSVP for Outdoor Services link at the top of the page), in the emailed Community Life publication, email Kate at kate@immanuelpc.org, or call the office at 520-296-2253.
3. Know your risks. We encourage our “VPs” (vulnerable populations consisting of those over age sixty or with underlying health conditions) to continue worshiping online. However, reservations will not be denied based on age.
4. Do not come if you are sick or have a fever.
5. Masks will be required of everyone participating in the service. Masks have been shown to protect both the individual and the community from the virus. A memorable mantra is “WWW”— wear your mask, wash your hands, and watch your distance.
6. Please use hand sanitizer at one of our stations in the Courtyard before the service starts.
7. Both recorded and live music will be utilized, but as a precautionary measure we will not have congregational singing at this juncture of the re-phasing process. The service will be roughly forty minutes long. Chairs and seats will be marked. There will be individual sections and family pod sections. Ushers will be available to help. If your child becomes fussy, you can slip to the back area where there are benches near the parking lot.
8. To prevent possible spread of the virus, we will have no hospitality after the service concludes. Greet in a physically distanced manner (no hugs or handshakes) with waves, bowing, or other gestures conveying kindness. We should commit to heading back home soon after the service concludes.
9. On those Sundays we have communion (Oct. 4^th, Nov 1^st, Dec. 6^th), there will be pre-packed communion bags on your seat for you to serve yourself, as guided by the pastor. We will continue to have communion in our online worship.
10. You can bring your Bibles and print out bulletins from home or look at them on your phone. Secure offering boxes will be available to drop off your offering/other money or checks.

Thank you again for your grace and understanding as we seek to be faithful to God and faithful to one another in such a time as this. May God meet each of you in your place of need. We are praying for protection, endurance, joy, and growth through these challenges.

Grace and Peace,
Pastor John, on behalf of the Session

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(2020 September Congregational Letter copy)