Worshipping in the New Chapel

Worshipping in the New Chapel
by
February 09, 2021

This Sunday is Valentine’s Day and we will hold both worship services in the new chapel – 9:15 & 10:30.

Building this beautiful space has certainly been an act of love and sacrifice on the part of many.  We will continue our safety protocols and spread the chairs out in pairs as much as possible.  We plan to have both services in the chapel for the remaining Sundays in February (14th, 21st, 28th).  We then plan to have a chapel service and a sanctuary service.

Clearly, this is a soft opening for using the new space.  We will have a formal dedication later in the spring with more people but since the building is now complete, we are anxious to start utilizing it.  This week will be the final sermon in our “Morality, Meaning, and the Ten Commandments” series.

During Lent, we will begin a brand new series called “The Life of Jesus” and make our way through Mark’s gospel (the oldest gospel), carefully reflecting on the life and teachings of Jesus.  Lent will officially begin next Wednesday night, February 17th, with a 6 pm service in the chapel that will be livestreamed as well.

The chapel is smaller than our sanctuary, roughly half the size.  It holds about 190 people when full but during Covid, far fewer when we social distance.  Nevertheless, it will be exciting to be in there.  We are also expanding our Sunday School up through 3rd and 4th grades but you still must RSVP to have a spot.

As I see it, we are gradually reopening the church this spring as more people are vaccinated and comfortable coming back in person.  This will continue to be a staged process that will take place one step at a time.  We will remain vigilant with our safety protocols that have worked very well so far.  We encourage all members to do what is comfortable for you and your family. Virtual worship and livestreaming will remain an option.

This week, I plan to talk about how Jesus embodies morality and love in action.  Rabbi Jonathan Sacks defines morality this way: “A concern for the welfare of others, an active commitment to justice and compassion, a willingness to ask not just what is good for me but what is good for all of us together.  It’s about US not ME, it’s about WE not I.”  As a church, we are doing our best to embody Sacks’ vision, which is also Jesus’ vision, and we are continuing to do so in the midst of stressful and uncertain times.  Christ shows us the way, so we must look to him as our example and light.

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