Dear First Pres,
By the time you read this letter, Covid 19 rules and regulations might have changed again. Who among us would have imagined that we would not be able to worship in our sanctuary because of a pandemic? Even though we know the church is not the building, we still miss the place and the people. For now, our sanctuary has relocated to YouTube at First Pres Fresno Live. The dedicated tech team is doing a great job of bringing us together to worship every Sunday at 10:00am. Hope to see you there.
Shortly before I began to write these words, I was on a Zoom call with several staff members. As we began to pray, the ground shook, windows rattled and together we experienced the strongest and longest earthquake we’ve felt in years. We know what to do in earthquakes, we know what to expect, and we know they will end -- damaging immediate areas but leaving most of us untouched. In a way Covid is like that quake as it shakes the foundation of our lives, sickening many people but leaving most of us untouched. It is deadly, but many say we are “done” with it. However, it is not done with us. Unlike the earthquake, we don’t know when it will end, and so we become impatient. We want things to stop shaking and just get back to normal.
Our question is still, “When do we reopen?” In May, church staff and leadership agreed, for the safety of all, to stay at Level Two through June: gatherings of 12 or less, physical distancing, and masks. At its June 16 meeting, Session approved the formation of a Reopening Committee. Its task is to look at directives required by our church insurance, California Department of Public Health, the County Health Department, and then provide recommendations for reopening. The committee is acting as quickly as possible and will hold its first meeting this week.
Committee members are Torsten Grunberg, Suzanne Kimball, Jamie Franklin, Wil Murray, Denise Fink, and Pastor Jeremy. We won’t be back in the sanctuary for some time, but these dedicated people will communicate our next steps for reopening as they are developed.
For more details on our Five Levels, please refer to this page of our website. Here’s a quick reminder of each level as they apply to us:
- Level 5, no more restrictions;
- Level 4, in-person worship with guidelines;
- Level 3, groups of 50 or less with approval;
- Level 2, through June, groups of 12 or less, masks, physical distancing;
- Level 1, shelter in place.
Last month Pastor Jeremy laid out a plan for us. It’s good to remember his words:
“Of course, we all want to be able to gather for worship, resume regular ministry, and enjoy the fellowship of our congregation. But we have to make sure that we do that in a way that is consistent with our beliefs, values, and purpose. . . . our church is committed to loving each other, loving our neighbors and caring for the vulnerable. We’re committed to a posture that nurtures the Kingdom of God in our city as it is in heaven. And we’re committed to reaching others with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
“Because of those commitments, we will listen to the guidance of our public health officials so that we can help our city be free of this insidious virus. We will consider the impact of the various restrictions on the quality of the gathering experience. And, most importantly, we will seek the Lord for what He would have us do.”
Blessings,
Gerre Brenneman
Posted by
