Easter Hope and Reflections on When We Might Gather

Grace and peace be with you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I pray this Spirit Shot finds you doing well and taking care of yourself. 

I have been seeing some pictures of your Easter Lilies starting to emerge from the ground.  We at the rectory are holding our breath in hopes that I didn't plant ours too deeply and that our front yard gets enough sun!  Either way, Happy Easter!  It has also been an exciting week as welcomed new life in the way of two new babies in our church family!  Congratulations to the Salazars and the Lesters! 

As I write to you it is hopeful to see new life in a time of so much difficulty.  As we are a hopeful people, it is no surprise that I have heard questions about when we will gather in person again.  Our Bishop has offered us leadership and guidance in this matter and I will be offering you a short video in the near future to give details.  Basically, we will remain in what the Bishop is calling Phase 1 until there are specific indicators that it is safe to come back together.  Our diocese is in partnership with other denominations and the Texas Medical Center to decide when we will move into phase 2 which will involve smaller gatherings.  Your church staff and my colleagues around the diocese are working together to think through the logistical challenges that next iteration will present.  It is likely we won't have the green light from the diocese until the end of May at the earliest. 

We do hope to send you a short survey about your feelings around returning to church to help us in our planning and preparations.  Please make sure to fill out the survey.  In all of this, we seek to offer clarity and our goal is to make this as safe for all of us as it possibly can be as we move forward.

Though I miss you so very much, your church leaders and I are willing to do everything we can to keep you safe.  Let us know if there is anything you need and know that I am praying for you.