Deans' Note: Feb. 21, 2021

Fr. Dan starts out his sermon this Sunday welcoming us to the "fifty-first Sunday in Lent." It seems like when we stopped worshipping together in person during Lent last year, we never got beyond the season. We have been in a time of letting go of so much -- not to mention the frequent reminders that we are mortal and that "we are dust and to dust, we shall return."

Yet even in this time that hasn't had a lot of good news, some light is breaking through. We see the numbers of new Covid cases declining nationally, and finally in our own city and county as well. Vaccine distribution may be slower than we like, but it still is moving ahead.

This week the clergy met with Bishop Taylor and we all are feeling frustrated and we would like to move on, but we need to stay patient for just a little while longer. Variants in the virus cause us to be more cautious and we still aren't out of the woods yet. Some folks have asked when we can come back to church, especially since it seems the Governor has permitted churches to open with limited capacity. But as our Bishop remarked, Governor Newsom's decision was based on a legal and constitutional argument, not on public health recommendations. It still is not safe to be in an enclosed building for an hour with people who aren't part of your household. But we are getting there. Our best guess is that we will be able to return to in-person worship in our building in September. Of course, that will depend on things moving ahead as they are now.

But here's some good news. We will be returning to our 8 am in-person service outdoors beginning Sunday, March 14 -- the Sunday closest to the anniversary of our last in-person service in the church. We will have more information about that soon.

All of us are tired and we need some hope and a way forward. Healing is coming. New life and resurrection are coming. Jesus still is our risen Lord and he walks ahead of us into the future.

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