Dear Friends,
University Friends’ Worship Committee met last night (Tuesday, November 17) and, among other things, decided that the time has come to go back to worshiping online only, beginning this coming Sunday (November 22).
This was not an easy decision. We have enjoyed being together for worship. We have enjoyed seeing some new faces. We have *really* enjoyed having children in worship. And, also, the pandemic is bad and getting worse with no signs of slowing down. So, while our safety measures can help minimize risk, the risk is still increasing. We know more and more people who have the virus and/or are quarantined, and it seems almost reckless to ignore the increasing threat to our health and safety.
That means we will be live streaming on Facebook and the church website (wichitaquakers.org), as usual, for the foreseeable future. Videos and text will be posted too, just as we have been doing. It’s just that, for the time being, we ask that people not attend unless they have responsibilities during worship.
What about Advent and Christmas Eve? The scouts are scheduled to decorate the sanctuary/meeting-room on November 23. Poinsettias are ordered, to arrive on November 25th. Beth McDonald and Kim Edgington-Keehn are working on scheduling folks to do Advent candle-lighting and readings. Plans are in the works for plenty of music, including the handbells, on December 20, the Sunday before Christmas. Plans are also in the works for putting together a Christmas Eve video of music and readings, lighting the last Advent candle, and a significant amount of quiet from the beautiful meeting-room, which will be “broadcast” via our Facebook page and website, beginning at 6:00 p.m. on December 24.
I know. I know. It’s sad and difficult. We may need to take some time to mourn what we hoped for and will not happen. Let’s also take time to find safe and positive alternatives for celebrating this holiday season. Christmas *will* come. It’s just not going to look like it usually does.
Sending you a virtual hug 🤗and holding you in God’s Light 🤲,
Catherine Griffith, on behalf of the Worship Committee
