Dear People of St. James’,
Breathe a collective sigh of relief! We are now in Stage 2 according to Austin Public Health. According to the CDC Covid-19 County Check, levels of community spread for Travis County and most surrounding counties are LOW. This is a pretty wonderful scenario for us as we begin the season of Lent, as we begin to make a old transformative journey anew, toward the cross and and the glory of Easter that lies beyond.
Last Sunday, choirs were back from the surge’s hiatus. This Sunday, that sacred tradition of Coffee Hour returns to Founders Hall between the 10:30 am and the 1 pm. Come hang out, enjoy coffee, tea, and other goodies, but, most of all, enjoy the company of each other! During this stage, many of our Connections groups may feel comfortable gathering and eating together indoors. Adult formation groups may choose to go mask optional.
We will maintain some pre-cautions, particularly for the sake of families with small children, who as yet cannot be vaccinated against Covid. So, for example, our nursery staff will continue to mask and to test on a weekly basis (the nursery is open for the 10:30 am and the 5 pm). In-person Godly Play gatherings will keep masking for the sake of the youngest.
And, for now, we will continue to mask during worship in the sanctuary. It strikes me that, of late, every Sunday is like the first day of school for some number of people in the congregation who are returning to worship after staying home or who are visiting us for the first time as they seek a space of spiritual belonging. Each Sunday, there are people in our pews wondering those first-day-of-school wonderings: 1) Am I safe? (And, are the members of my household safe here?, and 2) Are these my people?) Do I feel welcome at this table? Our hope as a community grounded in the radical hospitality of Jesus is that we can get to ‘yes’ in answer to both questions for everybody.
During this pandemic time, we have learned that this is exceedingly difficult to do, because what makes one person feel safe may inhibit another person’s experience of emotional warmth and welcome. This was true even in pre-pandemic times. The challenge of gathering around the table, of being the Body of Christ together, has always been finding unity amidst our diversities. However, this is what the Spirit of God does, and the Spirit, we have found, is powerful enough to bring us into the sort of unity where we know each other and are known, where we belong to each other, in spite of masks and with the help of masks.
The above guidelines are not permanent; we are continually evaluating the constantly changing environment and adapting. Currently, we are in the process of making calls to those whom we have not seen in person for a while to check in, to see where there might be new needs for eucharistic visitation, and to hear about what might make for a good day at St. James’. If you are anticipating being homebound for a longer period of time and would like us to send eucharistic visitors to you, to extend our table to your household, please get in touch with me at rector@stjamesaustin.org. If you are thinking about rejoining in-person worship during this new season of Lent, but you have questions about what to expect, feel free to contact any of our staff or write to office@stjamesaustin.org. At this point, we are doing all of the pre-pandemic things on any given Sunday, and even more. For a full schedule, check out the Calendar page on the website.
If you’ve gotten out of the habit of prayer and seeking hope in a confusing world, if you are feeling disconnected and dislocated, let’s set out on a new spiritual journey together this Lent. There could be no better time than this.
Rev. Eileen
