I have been watching the news like a hawk!!! It looks like phase 5 is happening in both Chicago and Illinois tomorrow (Friday)!  It is like a rain on dry ground, or a breath of fresh air; I believe it is time for St. Michael’s to turn the corner and begin to open our doors widely once again.  (Read about phase 5 in Illinois here: https://bit.ly/3fZN63h) 

The Vestry and I have been in conversation over the last two weeks as to how this looks at St. Michael’s, beginning Sunday, June 13. My goal is to expand our welcoming and accommodation, so that worshippers of all comfort levels can participate in the life of the parish.  Here is what you can expect this week: 

• No Reservations: With so many members vaccinated, we no longer need reservations for Sunday worship, and you can sit anywhere in the nave.  
• Coffee hour: Coffee hour can resume, but only if we have volunteers to start making it.  Sorry, but we cannot afford to keep having Starbucks delivered.  We will remain outside for now because it is a lot of fun, but we have the ability to be indoors should the weather decide it.  We will wait until the fall to have any type of meal indoors
• The Community Room will continue to be a place to worship for anyone wanting extra space to spread out. Great for children who need to move around (although they are also very welcome in the nave anytime)
• Live Stream: The church website and Facebook page will continue to host our livestream indefinitely.  If you are out of town, not ready to return yet, or looking for a new church home, you can see us there.  Zoom will continue through the summer at least, but soon Facebook and the church website will become the primary place for virtual worship instead of Zoom in order to simplify our technology requirements. 
• Music: Updates are still being thoughtfully decided, but soon.  (I’m looking at you, choir!)

• Masks are optional, but welcome
• Do not count against capacity limits, therefore no reservations are needed
• CDC info here: https://bit.ly/2S8BhPl and https://bit.ly/3zc9VZa

• Masks are still needed when in the church building 
• No reservations needed (because so many of our worshippers are vaccinated that we are well within any capacity limit)
• Teachers, children, and nursery workers still need to wear masks while in the classrooms.  
• Vaccinated teachers may remove their masks when not in the classroom. 
• Children will need to wear their masks since they are ineligible for the vaccine at this time.  

Thank you for your patience this year.  I will admit, it has been extremely challenging both personally and professionally for me, and I know that everyone has experienced that in one way or another.  My attention is now moving towards rebuilding- we have gone through the storm, and St. Michael’s needs everyone now to plug back in and be a part of this community again.  My hope is that, however comfortable you are with reopening, you can find a place to worship with us: live streaming at home for the careful, community room with communion for those looking for smaller groups, or the nave for those ready to return more fully.  I look forward to seeing more and more of you this summer in person, and certainly (COVID permitting) kicking off a big fall program year in September.  

See you in church, 
Jesse+