Dear Ones,
As I’m sure you all know, Yolo County remains under a mask mandate. That means wearing a mask at church is required of all of us, except for children under age 2 and those with verified medical exemptions. When Yolo County does lift the mask mandate, ours may still remain in effect for some time, depending on a large number of factors; honestly, it is simply too soon to tell. It may also be something that returns seasonally or on an “as needed” basis.
After conversations with staff and some of our ministry groups, I wanted to offer a few reminders that might also serve to clear up some confusion. Just remember: I am not a medical professional! Please consult your own doctor or the CDC website for clarification about any technical questions that I may not be equipped to answer.
*We wear masks out of concern for other people, more than to protect ourselves. Although I personally am fully vaccinated and will not come to church if I have any symptoms that suggest I might have COVID, it remains true that an asymptomatic, vaccinated person can still “shed” the virus and spread infection. So I wear a mask, even though I feel the risk involved to myself, should I be exposed to COVID, is relatively low. One parishioner said it well: “When I get tired of wearing the darn thing, I just remember that it’s not about me!”
*The CDC definition of masks is pretty straightforward and does not include scarves, bandanas, shields, or most other kinds of face coverings. We have posters at church with handy reminders about the do’s and dont’s of face coverings.
*Masks must be worn over the nose and mouth; your mask should not have large gaps anywhere where it is designed to be in contact with your face. If your mask slips down and your nose is exposed, it is not helping to protect other people. Please feel free to grab a fresh mask before you enter the building and pinch it at the top to keep it secure; we are also providing skin-safe tape for those who want to give that a try.
*In addition to wearing masks, we ask that you remain physically distant from others who are not in your household. If you want to occupy a seat in a pew that already has one or more people sitting in it, that’s great! Just please be sure to keep approximately six feet of distance between you.
*We are still not allowed to sing as a congregation or to use the common cup. At an emotional level, these are perhaps the hardest restrictions for many of us. I am praying for the day to come when we can sing together with one voice and share the cup of blessing, but we are not there yet.
Finally, people have asked me: what about enforcement? The best answer came from a parishioner who suggested that we use peer pressure to our advantage! It’s a brilliant idea, actually, that gets to the essence of being a loving community–let’s look out for each other and remind one another of best practices.
A gentle, loving reminder to someone to pull up their mask, or an offer to go grab a new mask from the box out on the welcome table, should be seen as a gesture of respect and care. Jesus asked us to love one another as he had loved us–and then he got to work and washed the feet of his disciples! We’re all in this together, and following these safety measures are concrete ways to build up our Beloved Community.
Blessings,
Pamela+
