Pray for one another
as we begin 2022
– as we both build Christian community and reach our communities
in this prolonged season of COVID
***
Well that just happened!
As we come to the end of another year, we are not where we anticipated we would be. One year ago, the COVID vaccine was just being rolled out. With this, we hoped that we would see our way out of COVID isolation and be back to what we might consider “normal.” Just as things began to open up, we were hit by the Delta Variant, and now, the Omnicron One.
With this fresh fear of COVID, new restrictions have been imposed, and people are once again reluctant to gather with others. Though there are hopes that Omnicron will prove to not be as serious as other variants only (107 of 50,000 new cases were hospitalized – Vancouver Sun, December 29), we are still wading in the seemingly endless mire known as COVID.
COVID can also become an excuse for personal lethargy and lackluster leadership. Times of crisis provide opportunities for both personal growth and leading forward in the midst of adversity. The Apostle Paul speaks of this in Romans 5, where he writes,
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5).
Hope is both strengthened and confirmed in the midst of crisis.
While obeying all protocols, we may feel that there is little that we can do to to change the somewhat unpredictable trajectory of COVID. We can, however, determine how we respond and choose to see opportunities to serve and to live and share our faith in the midst of this pandemic. I am thankful for the resilience of so many pastors and leaders through this season – from online Alpha to building programs; from delivering Christmas hampers to multiple candlelight services, we have “pivoted” and found creative ways to minster.
COVID presents a challenge to be overcome, but not a roadblock to ministry and sharing the Good News. May we continue to rise above the circumstances and creatively serve others in the Name of our Lord.
May we also “rise above” circumstances personally. While we have all been impacted by COVID, this has been a challenge, not a roadblock to personal growth.
Dan Reiland has recently provided a helpful article to aid us reflecting on the year almost ended, and to set our course for the year ahead, “Ten Personal Questions to Help You Start the New Year Well.” These questions transcend COVID, and are useful to all of us. As Reiland states, “Regardless of your wiring, personality, or how much time you have for this, investing quality think time to process 2021 will position you for a substantially better 2022.”
Here is the link 10-personal-questions
Looking forward to growing and serving together in 2022!
***
COVID UPDATE
Our Provincial Health Officer announced on new restrictions in response to the Omnicron Variant. While these will impact schools, and many activities and gatherings , these do not impact worship services. Here is a link to the PHO of December 20.
covid-19/info/restrictions#new
Here is what we do know regarding Worship Service Policies:
Mask Mandate: Masks are required for all indoor settings including faith services. The mask is required for everyone 5 years of age and older, and includes choirs. Masks can be removed to speak or pray up front if social distancing is maintained, or for communion.
Gathering and Events: Faith Services must now limit capacity to 50% of seating capacity unless the church decides to require everyone in attendance to provide proof of vaccine. In calculating seating capacity it would be wise to use the load occupancy of the facility in which the service will be held. (This number is the seating capacity, as determined by the Fire Marshal, and posted in your church). This number will in most cases be higher than the number of seats you have set up in your church.
Here is the information from the BC Centre for Disease Control: bccdc.ca/health-info/faith-based-spiritual-and-worship-practices
Here is a link to the Provincial Health Orders on Masks, as updated on Monday, December 6: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/info/restrictions#masks
Please check our LPD Website to keep up to date with the latest regulations and protocols: https://www.lpd-efcc.ca/covid-19/
For personal assistance regarding COVID Policy and the Canadian Recovery Hiring Program (CHRP) and COVID Protocols, please contact Josephine at our district office.
