Last week in Ohio was the first increase in hospitalizations related to COVID-19 in two months. This shouldn’t be a total surprise. As we move out of lockdowns, we are more exposed to the virus. Thankfully in the past few months, our state has increased the capacity of our medical system to meet the demand. Our church continues to pray for all those affected by the virus, and we pray that this pandemic and the disruption it has brought will end soon.
Although we remain concerned about the rise in cases, we remain cautiously optimistic. The leadership of the church is closely monitoring the situation, and we are continuing our reopening of the church campus. If we discover that we need to slow that process, we will not hesitate to make changes. The health and safety of our congregation remain paramount. Last week, the session met and updated our guidelines for July. You will find a copy of those guidelines at this link.
WHAT REMAINS THE SAME
Basically, there are only a few things that we can do to help prevent the spread of the virus. We will continue to maintain social distancing. We will continue to encourage the use of masks, especially when social distancing is difficult. We will also continue to clean and sanitize after the use of our facilities. Those things have not changed.
WHAT HAS CHANGED
The church is expanding the use of the building beyond the sanctuary and the Great Room. We are inviting outside groups back into the church building such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Al-Anon. Please contact the church office for updated schedules and room assignments.
WHAT WILL NEVER CHANGE
The First Presbyterian Church is committed to our witness of the love and grace of God through Jesus Christ. We worship, we fellowship, and we serve. Our ministries may not look the same as they did a generation ago, but we continue to do everything to the glory of God. If you have ideas on how we can have a more faithful involvement, please contact me at the church.
We are grateful for you, and we are thankful for God’s guidance especially in times of challenge.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor James
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