Last week, the vestry met and looked at all the factors of our common life: where we are in regards to Covid cases, where we are in regards to our pastoral needs for fellowship and community life, and where we are in regards to our fatigue. These remain complex days, but one thing that is clear is the desire and ability for us to find a way to thread the needle with a responsible approach to pastoral and formative life as a Christian community.
We discerned together that the following is a plan that meets the reality of our situation and the hopes of our hearts: We will begin our regular Wednesday dinners and events on September 22. We’re sliding it back from its previous date to be mindful of the entire situation. So, on Wednesday, September 22, we will have an open-house/meet-and-greet for all choristers and parents with Lynn Swanson—who is very excited to join us here at Grace. We will also begin dinners on the 22nd, albeit in a slightly different way. Rather than sitting together in the parish hall and eating, the meal will be packaged to go. Anyone can place an order for a meal it would help your weekly schedule, and you can pick it up and stay a bit to chat and catch up with folks. Parents with choristers can pick up their meals after choristers has ended to take them home to eat. Some folks may even want to sit outside with friends to eat and catch up. Folks in the adult choir may want to grab their meal and gather outside with each other before choir to visit before going to rehearse.
The vestry felt strongly as well that we need a pastoral “boost” at this point in our common life, so we are using part of the budget to cover the cost of the meal for Grace Church parishioners on September 22. And, the first meal will be fried chicken with sides! A vegetarian option will, of course, be available. Perhaps this will be a meaningful thing for you to share in, and you need only to register online for the meal that evening to give us a full count. Going forward from September 29 onward, we will keep our regular pattern of registering online for the meal and paying once you arrive to receive your packaged to-go meal.
We will keep this pattern for the time being, and we hope that the plan both meets folks where we are and also provides a meaningful moment in a busy week. So, I hope this note finds you doing ok these days, and I hope you’ll consider sharing in this Wednesday evening space if it would be meaningful to you.
Blessings,
Stuart