Parish Update on Reopening
July 7, 2021
Dear Friends,
On March 13 of 2020, I sent out an email to the congregation that our Bishop, The Rt. Rev. Greg Rickel, was asking for all churches in the diocese to close for "two weeks" in accordance with the State of Washington's early plans to stem the spread of Covid-19. Little did any of us anticipate that sixteen months would pass before we would have the opportunity to be with one another again as a community and worship in person.
Individual people may be in different places both emotionally and cognitively about reopening and gathering in large groups again. Concerns about the spread of new variants of the virus are well founded as are the concerns of businesses and families who have suffered financial losses and acute stresses during this time. Schools, restaurants, and churches have each determined their own paths to reopening based on a combination of CDC advice, state and local mandates, and the needs of their communities.
The path forward for Trinity will be one that will maintain certain precautions for a period of time, while also lifting certain restrictions. Episcopalians have historically been people of the "Middle Way," and our reopening plan reflects an intentional path that emphasizes our collective care and mutual responsibility for one another while providing opportunities for in-person worship.
On Friday, July 2, the Church Office mailed a letter from me to each of our membership households. The Pastoral Letter contains important details about what you can expect during the initial period of reopening. If you have not received that letter yet, you should receive it soon.
Once you have carefully reviewed the information in the Pastoral Letter, I hope that you will contact me or the Church Office with any questions you may have. I would be very glad to assist any of our ministry groups or program leaders in developing program procedures and calendars for the program year (from September to June).
In addition to the hard copy of the Pastoral Letter that you are receiving in the mail, you can also read or download the letter by clicking on the link below:
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Trinity Church Office at 425-252-4129.
