Rector’s Update: July 8, 2020
“…I will feed them in justice.” Ezekiel 34: 16b
Dear Restoration,
Hope you are doing well! I am writing to remind you of 2 special things that are happening this week.
A Zoom Discussion about Racial Injustice in the Church
It starts tonight at 7:30pm. We will keep it to a firm hour- so log on a few minutes early to say hi and plan on being finished by 8:30. This is a three week conversation that will build on prior weeks. You are welcome to join any or all of them, but the content will be different each time. You are also welcome to invite a friend.
We will break our time into thirds with lecture, moderated breakout discussions, and Q&A for all participants. I have no idea how many people will join the call tonight and I ask for your flexibility if we need to adjust certain things.
We will be using the book, The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby. It is organized chronologically. Tonight we will discuss the years up to the Civil War (beginning of book to page 70). Next week, we will look at the post Civil War period to Civil Rights legislation (pages 70-152). The final week will examine the last 50 years of our history, (pages 152-216). Each week we will be asking God to lead us as a church in how we should respond to these things.
Here is the link to join the conversation which begins tonight at 7:30pm. I look forward to talking with you!
Yard Worship on July 12
Last week, our wardens introduced Phase Alpha of our re-opening plan for corporate worship. You can read their letter, here, which references the detailed plan that can be read, here, in its entirety.
We know that all of us are carefully watching what is happening in our community in relation to the coronavirus. Each of us is making decisions about public gatherings that correspond with our medical and living situations. I have been grateful for the opportunity to correspond and pray with many of you as you discern what is best for you and for your household. Because of the diversity of our situations, we are continuing to offer our YouTube Livestream for Sunday worship as the safest and most remote way for us to worship together. We are also beginning to offer some in-person opportunities for those who feel comfortable gathering with others. Both options are great!
This Sunday, July 12, our YouTube Livestream will start at 10am. I will be preaching the next installment of our Joseph story. We are also offering 4 opportunities to gather for Yard Worship at Restoration and the homes of several Restoration members. You can sign up, here and read all of the details for how it will work. We warmly invite you to join us.
As always, I am grateful for the creativity of our staff and volunteers, grateful for the faithfulness of our congregation, and grateful to God as He leads us through these challenging times.
Sincerely,
David
