Beloved,
I have been thinking and praying about this for several days. As the Omicron variant spreads rapidly through our city, we are all wondering how to respond. Yesterday, President Biden reminded us that this is not March 2020. We are more prepared and ready, thanks to the vaccine. However, it is still our responsibility to act with love and care. This week, Grand Park cancelled the live portion of their New Year’s Eve gathering, The Music Center cancelled the in-person portions of their celebration, and the NHL is pausing their season for a week.
While our church is much smaller than these gatherings, the weather provides an even greater concern. Beginning tomorrow, Los Angeles will be experiencing rainfall for the next several days. We cannot use the indoor/protective resources typically available to us, due to COVID. Without some kind of covering, the band members, congregants, and electrical equipment would be exposed to the rain.
My heart is heavy, but I am deeply concerned for person and property, given the concerns about COVID and the rainstorm. Gathering in person was our hope and intent, but it feels like we would be risking health, safety, and comfort to do so. I believe that the risks of meeting in person outweigh the rewards.
We are planning to produce a virtual service that will be a beautiful celebration of the birth of Jesus. Debbie and Oscar are distributing the Blessing Bags and refreshments today, so that people will still be able to receive these gifts. Stephen, Kobi, Diego, and Salvador are working to transition all of our content into video, so that we will still be able to sing together with El Dorado.
A dear colleague in New York City shared that their Christmas Eve service would be virtual this year because “this is what love looks like.” I pray for your health, safety, and grace as we navigate these challenging times. I am grateful that we are all here to discuss these matters, as your life is precious and valuable.
I look forward to sharing Christmas Eve with you, virtually, at 5:30 pm PST. We will be streaming on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
God’s promise to us remains. God is with us, now and always.
Blessings to each of you,
Rev. Mandy