Sunday, May 16, 2021
Dear St. Luke family:
Wednesday I posted my first short video on St. Luke’s Facebook page - you can see the video here. I intend to make a weekly practice of posting a video, three minutes or less, giving you updates, asking for input, exploring our faith, or reflecting on what’s going on at St. Luke. These are not polished videos with high production value. I hope to add polish as I gain more experience, but what we know is that many people, especially younger people, will watch a short video rather than read something. If you’re not currently on Facebook, or if you’re on Facebook but haven’t “liked” St. Luke’s Facebook page, I invite you to do both. I’m happy to give in person lessons on how to join Facebook if one of your kids or grandkids isn’t available to do it.
My short Facebook video is about our “soft reopening.” I’ve been leading Zoom worship from the sanctuary since I started serving at St. Luke last December. Every Sunday morning, I’m there in the sanctuary, looking into my laptop, all by myself except when Babette brings in the flowers, Joanne L. brings the communion elements, or Erich stops in after checking things out. Until we are set up for true hybrid worship, meaning that our Zoom worship experience and our in-person worship experience are as close to the same as we can make them, our primary means of worship will continue to be Zoom.
However, according to Marin and California guidelines, it’s now safe to invite you to join me in the sanctuary. I don’t wear a mask to lead Zoom worship, so in-person worshipers need to stay at least 12 feet away from me. Worshipers must wear masks and stay socially distant from one another. We still can’t sing, but we can hum, and I’ve been told by a physician that humming is very good for us! We’re not quite sure what will happen with technology: will those in the sanctuarly we be able to see videos or those on Zoom? Will those on Zoom be able to see the sanctuary? We will be experiemnting and working out the kinks over the next several weeks – it will be a work in progress, so we ask for your patience. Baby steps, right?
In this Sunday’s passage in the first chapter of Acts, the apostles replace Judas with a twelfth disciple. It’s a wonderful opportunity to explore how Presbyterians replace pastors, where St. Luke is in that process, and what to expect in the months to come. Don’t forget that we have a very short congregational meeting following worship to elect an elder to the Session.
I hope to see you this Sunday, either in person or on Zoom!
Grace and peace,
Joanne Whitt
Interim Pastor