This is what communion has looked like for over a year – whatever we’ve had on hand in the kitchen. Juice and rice cakes. Water and donut pieces. Sparkling cider and crackers.
No more!
What a joy it is to walk into Orcas Island Community Church and see what has always felt like an extended family. The church staff has worked hard all through the COVID months to livestream the services. It has not been easy, but you’d never know it from watching at home. The services online have looked very professional.
Nevertheless, I’m thrilled to see actual humans and their faces, to feel hugs, to exchange laughter again without the muffling and stifling due to thick fabric between us.
Come! Enjoy what we will not take for granted for a long time – each other. Everyone is welcome. It sure feels amazing.
Here are July’s services for you, to give you a taste of togetherness, warmth, singing, sermons, youth programs, mission work, and more. If you’ve never been to church before, don’t second guess it. Just show up. You’ll be welcomed. I did it 20 years ago and I can’t believe all that I was missing before that, in so many ways that would have been fulfilling.
Even our preaching pastor, Dick Staub, is back in the flesh. This one was his first time giving a sermon in the building since COVID shut us down.
Nothing is like the real deal, though! Services tomorrow are at 9 AM and 10:45 AM. See you then!
An immense thank you to Brian Moss, Ryan Carpenter, Tim Meaney, Stephanie Moss, Jon Hane, Dick Staub, Kimberley Sasan, Paul Carrick, Ethan Moss, Isaac Moss, Evan Kulper, and anyone I’m forgetting for holding it all together to make sure church happened as we all watched from afar in our little individual homes during that long pandemic time. You were the glue.
For more stories about what church outside the building was like, click the following: virtual church outside, in-person church outside, Christmas choir practice, and the making of clips (more like bloopers!) for the church service.
Please please please.
I urge you not to post these wonderful and so needed joyful return to normallosts.
First. research Delta, Delta Plus and Lambda variants.
twice as transmissible as C-19. 1000 times the viral
load. Did I say easily transmissible?
and occurring in Vaccinated folks.
Carriers everywhere who don’t yet know they have it.
WE NEED TO MASK AND DISTANCE.
Before we celebrate hugging again.
This surge occurred 14 days after the 4th of July holiday.
? coincidence? NOT.
And with August and it’s tourist load about to begin, we need to observe protocols even more stringently.
I enjoy your writing, your enthusiasm and love for Orcas living. That heads my daily gratitudes list.
Can you not write about how to behave til this virus assumes the role fly now has in our lives? You might save the life of some elderly Orcas resident.
Thanks.