Trinity Episcopal Church 316 ADAMS STREET, TOLEDO, OH 43604
Beloved Friends,
419.243.1231 trinitytoledo.org
January 5, 2022
I write today to provide another update about Trinity’s path forward as we continue to navigate the impact of COVID in our lives and specifically regarding in-person worship. In light of the national surge in COVID-19 cases fueled by the highly transmissible omicron variant, and with the Lucas County COVID-19 Transmission Level back to “High”, we have made the decision to suspend in-person worship for the remainder of January. Instead, we will return to offering our Sunday Trinity@Home service at 10:00am for the next 4 weeks (January 9, 16, 23 & 30) as well as offer an all-parish zoom coffee hour each of those weeks to encourage connection and fellowship. As you know, this past November we opened the doors of our beloved sacred space to initiate what we are now calling our in-person worship: Trinity@316. We began cautiously using the same liturgy format as Trinity@Home. This is an Episcopal service that does not include communion and allowed us to gather but stay more distanced. Then in December we re-introduced communion for a few weeks until we arrived at Christmas Eve. When we saw how many people gathered that night for our beautiful service, we made the decision to say the words of the Eucharistic Prayer but not distribute the bread (or the wine), again, erring on the side of caution. Last week we made another decision at our in-person service. We decided to return to the liturgy we use for Trinity@Home (called “ante-communion) believing it was the best choice allowing us to be together, but also remain safely distanced. After a week of living into that decision, and intentional conversation this week with Trinity staff, Vestry wardens and others in our community, we believe this is the best decision in light of everything we know. One of our trusted conversation partners during this challenging time has been Trinity member Karen Keune. As an RN, Professor, health professional, advocate and service provider for the underserved for decades in our area, Karen has helped keep us updated and informed. She shares the following about this next decision: We are facing a tremendous surge. Believe it or not, higher than we have ever seen. The data is clear, this is a pandemic for the unvaccinated. While we vaccinated will likely get sick, we won't get nearly as ill as we would have without the vaccine. Masking is our best protection (paper, surgical, medical masks are advised as Omicron is permeating the cloth masks) outside of the vaccine and boosters. We also know our lives cannot stop because of this, but we can and should make gospel-based choices that keep our extended community as safe as possible. And while we all yearn to be together as a faith community for worship and community, I think choosing to suspend services for the remainder of the month is thoughtful, wise and sacrificial in the best way possible. We have come this far; we can do this. We can do hard things together, which in this case is suspending in-person worship for the rest of January. Then we can reassess the situation and know that when we do return to in-person worship, we will be stronger and healthy and intact, as a church community. As always, thank you for your courage, commitment and resilient spirits. Please stay connected in ways you can knowing our lives are richer through the ties that bind in the name of our loving, liberating life-giving God. And may you never forget that you are loved. Lisa Tucker-Gray Rector