Signs of Covenant and the Breath of Life
As Christians, we live in covenant relationships. When a parent brings their child to be baptized, we all make a promise to the family to help the child learn about their faith and grow into it. This is a covenant promise. When a young person decides they want to join the church, we say that decision is a fulfillment of the covenant promise, and then make a new covenant to continue to support that you person on their faith journey. When any adult decides to join the church, we commit the same vow. When a couple decides to get married in the church, that is part of the covenant, and the community which comes to witness also makes a vow to support the couple. Becoming an elected officer in the church - ordination as elder, deacon, or pastor - once again, entering into and a continuation of the covenant relationship and agreements and promises.
Now, we are human, and with that comes an imperfect understanding of God's world and the nature of covenant. In the general culture of America, we tend to focus on individual promises and vows, individual sin, and individual salvation. We have a tendency to interpret God's promise of grace and salvation on an individual scale, and we use terminology that focuses on individual rights.
There is a reason why God is the Trinity - the indivisible Three-In-One and One-In-Three. While we are each individually important to God, we cannot neglect our corporate responsibility and covenant. When the congregation makes a promise to one person to nurture them and help them grow, that one person also makes a promise to nurture the entire community, which means at times giving up personal liberties in order to fulfill the community covenant.
When you read the COVID Safety plan for in-person gatherings, I want you to read the document with the idea of corporate Christian covenant in mind. I promise to you all that I will do my part to adhere to the guidelines. I will wear my mask at all times, and because dust and pollen in the air irritate my eyes, making me sneeze and cough, I will also wear eye protection. I will great you with a bow, and plan worship with no singing or long prayer responses on your part. I will make certain the service is either streamed live, or recorded and uploaded to YouTube so anyone who needs to fulfilled their part of the covenant by staying safer at home has access to worship. I will continue to use good hand-washing techniques and hand sanitizer. I will follow the covenant agreement that we all may worship in as safe a manner as we are able.
I have two requests:
Please read the safety plan when you receive it and sign the covenant agreement. This is a promise to each other for how we will keep each other safe.
Please bring a wind chime to worship or send one in so we might use these chimes as a tool to listen to the breath of God as it blows through us during worship under the pavilion.
I love you all
Stay Safe and Healthy
Wash Your Hands
Peace be with you
~Rev. Andrea Joy Holroyd
