Dear People of St. James’,
I hope that this season of Advent has been a season of deepening reflection and knowledge of a God who is our hope.
As we approach Christmas Day, I suspect that you are aware of the worrisome changes in health conditions related to COVID-19 in our region. Since Thanksgiving, cases and hospitalizations have been on an upward trajectory, and we now find ourselves at the boundary of the red zone (Stage 5) according to Austin Public Health. We expect a new public health declaration regarding Stage 5 precautions and have already received an urgent plea to congregations from the city and county to move public worship online for the holidays if that is at all possible. Because our Task Force for Regathering and Vestry have long counseled the wisdom of returning to online worship in the event that we reach Stage 5, we are suspending in person worship services in English and Spanish, effective December 18 – January 10. We again hope that you will join us online. Our revised schedule for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services may be found here and on the Calendar page of our website.
This has been a difficult and prayerful decision made in conversation with other local heads of congregations, Episcopal and otherwise, members of the congregation, and health professionals. As always, different communities and different individuals are making different sorts of decisions. While we feel really confident about the protocols we’ve been implementing in our outdoor, masked, distanced services, we do not want to lead people who may be at higher risk for the severe effects of COVID-19 into temptation. So, let us gather in ways that are available to the greatest breadth of our diverse community! Explore your options. If you are looking for something more interactive, join us by phone, tablet, or computer on Zoom. If you want to jam out to your favorite Christmas carols with full voice where no one can see your own version of liturgical dance, join the Facebook Watch Party or just tune in to the video. St. James’ will still do the distinctive things we do to carry on our traditions in this season, so warm up your voice and break out your candles to sing Silent Night; join us in the Kwanzaa celebration; pray with us on Watch Night on New Year’s Eve.
It is so strange to celebrate Christmas, the feast of the incarnation, God coming to dwell with us, on Zoom or Facebook Watch Party or online with our bubbles. Perhaps this year, this pandemic experience of our own vulnerability and interdependence will open our eyes to the greatness of the gift of God’s vulnerability and openness to us in entering into our humanity. May we become a liberated people, free to be open and vulnerable to each other through God’s gift of Love.
Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
The Rev. Eileen O’Brien
