Dear Community Presbyterian Church,
 
Grace and Peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. In recent days, we have all heard news of the new statewide restrictions on businesses and gatherings and prepared to adapt our plans accordingly. Many of us have canceled our plans for Thanksgiving travel and holiday gatherings of any size. We recognize that these are tough changes to face as we near the end of what has already been a challenging year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
The Session met for our regular meeting last night on Tuesday, November 17th. While the current restrictions in Oregon allow for up to 25 persons indoors to worship, the Session decided to proceed with online-only worship for at least the next several weeks, prioritizing the safety and well-being of our own members and the public health of our neighbors in Redmond.
 
The pastor and staff will lead us in Advent worship online and we are inviting church families to participate by video in the candle-lighting and scripture readings. We are committed to making this a special season of celebration of who the God is that comes to us as infant Jesus. Be assured of this: we worship a God who came near to us in love in a stable in Bethlehem, and we have faith that the same God comes near to us now in our homes, and the Spirit of God unites us as a church in worship, service, and mission, even as our in-person interactions are limited.
 
This decision was not taken lightly, especially as we have real concern for the effects of isolation on all of us and the risks to those who struggle with mental health concerns. We know how important it is to some of our members to be present in the sanctuary to worship communally and we hope to return to that hybrid model of in-person and online as soon as restrictions and local infection rates allow us to do that with less risk of spreading this deadly virus.
 
Worship will be online only through at least Sunday, December 6th. The Session will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, December 1st to evaluate what we are hearing from statewide public health leaders and what we are experiencing with infection rates locally. We will decide then what is possible and wise for in-person worship the remainder of Advent and for Christmas Eve services. With all of you, we hold out hope that caution and prevention now will allow for us to be together in the near future.
 
We love each and every member of our church and we know God has a special role and purpose for us in this season in our community. Let us prepare to enter Advent together in spirit as we receive the gifts of hope, joy, love and peace from the God who comes near to us. We are not alone. We have the mutual support of each other, and the overflowing love and grace of God in our lives. We walk forward together as the body of Christ.
 
With hope in the God who holds us,
 
Rev. Andrew Hoeksema
And the Elders on Session: Lois, Brian, Cheryl, Diane, Frank, John, Kelsey, and Rebecca