This year started out normal and with the promise that everything would progress well. Our new buildings were ready to be used by outside groups for a fee and we would start to advertise our facility. Then CORONA-19 virus arrived in March forcing us to close the doors to the Sanctuary indefinitely, and our Intentional Interim Minister Rev. Wendy Jaine Summersleft for the East Coast shortly after that.
Tom and Jo were faithful in keeping our facility in working order. The two months we were allowed to have services in the Sanctuary, they helped me mark the 6’ social distances of our seating, and sanitation station. We were able to meet during the month of July and again the month of November.
We are hoping that the third time we are able to gather again, it will be for good. Our Christmas season is always so cheerful, culminating with the Christmas Eve candle light service. The hope is that our Members and Associate Members will find comfort in the message of Christ’s birth that brings good tidings to us all as we celebrate Christmas in our individual homes.
From March until the end of this year we have not had a Permanent Minister making it hard to keep the membership together. Pastor Tauoa Head has functioned as our spiritual leader and made phone calls to bring us his blessings.
During the two months we were open, Pastor Head led the worship several Sundays. In addition, Sharon MacArthur, a friend of Faith Burgess, blessed us with her presence taking charge off our services. Pastor Rolf Hansen preached November 8th; it was wonderful having him in the pulpit again. Pastor Richard Hyde, who will become our minister February 1st,did the worship remotely by Zoom. This was our first try to do this thanks to the skill of Ruce Head, our technical support. Ruce has done such a wonderful job, serving as our in-house media producer, researching inspiring graphics and digital photographs for our Sunday services. Many thanks to Ann Willard for faithfully playing the piano for our services. We are fortunate to have her wonderful music, which is much appreciated.
Merry Christmas. Most of us will celebrate the holiday in our own homes. Our hope for a better 2021 is in the knowledge that Christ was born as a blessing to everyone.
Siv Nickerson
