Heather Prince Doss | Eliot Presbyterian Church

August 3, 2021

Beloved Eliot:

As July rolls into August and we prepare to start a new school year still living in the shadow of COVID-19, I have noticed a sense of weariness hanging over me and many others. Most of us had hoped and expected that things would be back to normal by now. Needless to say, they are not, and we are tired: weary of illness and death, exhausted by constant change and uncertainty, nostalgic for the best parts of “the way things used to be.”

Have you followed the Olympics this summer? When I heard that Simone Biles withdrew from the team gymnastics competition, I first felt a little critical, wondering whether she let her teammates down. I’m no gymnast, but as I watched Simone warm up on Monday night and take her first, hesitant vault, it was quickly clear that her decision to withdraw was not only right and safe for Simone but also right and good for the team. As she made her way to the locker room, I felt a wave of awareness and recognition wash over me:

Rest is not only for the ones who are tired. It is good for everyone around us, even for the earth itself.

God rested after six days of work to create the world (Genesis 2:2).

God commanded the people to rest (including servants and livestock) every seventh day (Exodus 20:10).

Jesus invited his disciples to “Come away to a quiet place and rest awhile” (Mark 6:31).

Summer is often a time of rest, recreation, and renewal. But if you’re still feeling exhausted, I invite you to join me in some intentional, soulful rest for the last few weeks of summer. I will not preach a traditional sermon until after Labor Day. Instead, I will offer three Sundays of guided meditation that is restful, creative, and even playful. I will also take two Sundays off, one for vacation and one for study leave, when I intend to fully disconnect from email and social media so that I can reconnect with God and my own soul. During this time, Mark Dayton will fill the pulpit at Eliot.

I have filled this mailing with some resources for those of you who worship at home so that you can participate fully on Sunday mornings. You’ll also find a few extra things to help you take a sacred pause. I hope the practices offered during worship this month will help you connect with God and with your own soul. I also invite you to reflect on what you need to give rest to your body and spirit after a strange, difficult, and exhausting year. If you need permission to ask for those things: permission granted. Rest is what God wants for you.

With grace and peace,

Pastor Heather

Poem

Click here to read “For One Who Is Exhausted, A Blessing

Playlist

This YouTube playlist includes the music we will sing in worship during August as well as other hymns and songs that remind us of God’s invitation to “Come unto me and I will give you rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28).

Article: Rest Is Holy

This article by Sandi Villareal in Sojourners magazine explores the biblical invitation to rest and invites us to challenge notions of busyness and productivity that are so prevalent in our culture and economy.

For August 8

Click here for a Visio Divina devotion

For August 15

Click here to download a pdf you can use at home to pray in color.

17 May 2021

Members and Friends of Eliot:

After more than 14 months of worshiping and fellowshipping remotely, many of us are eager to resume the activities that we love, including gathering in community for worship and fellowship. With more and more people becoming vaccinated and COVID-19 cases decreasing, the session of Eliot feels we can safely resume worshipping in the sanctuary beginning Sunday, June 13. To protect one another, however, we will ask everyone to follow some new safety protocols, detailed below and in the attached flyers.

Since not everyone feels comfortable returning to in-person worship, we will also continue to stream worship from the sanctuary to Zoom and Facebook. Those who worship via Zoom will be able to participate in much the same way they do now. Those in the sanctuary will be able to hear (and hopefully see) those who are participating from home. The hope is that even as we gather from different locations we will continue to be one worshipping community.

For those who desire to worship in the sanctuary, you should be aware of several things:

If you feel sick or have had exposure to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, please stay home and worship virtually.
For now, we will allow a maximum of 60 people to gather in the sanctuary. This enables us to make sure family groups are seated at least 6 feet apart. Children should sit with their own family and should not hop from one family group to another.
To ensure that we are prepared for the number of people and to assist with contact tracing if needed, you should register in advance if you plan to attend in-person worship. you can register online at http://tinyurl.com/eliotrsvp or by calling the church office.
All worshipers will be required to wear a mask in the building, even if you have been vaccinated. Masks help protect the unvaccinated, including children. You must wear your mask over your nose and mouth throughout the service. If you forget your mask, we’ll have some available. Bonus points if you wear a mask in liturgical colors 🙂
Only the sanctuary will be open on Sundays. There will be no fellowship gathering in Olney Hall and no nursery or Sunday School classes. When you arrive at church, you will be directed to the sanctuary. After worship you may visit with others outside in front of the church. Please do not bring food to share.
If you come to worship and then are diagnosed with COVID-19 or have a close exposure, please contact Pastor Heather so that we can confidentially notify those whom you might have had contact with during worship.

You can also expect a few changes to the worship service and the sanctuary:

We are asking all sanctuary worshipers to arrive between 9:30 and 10:00 a.m. so that a greeter can check you in and help you find a socially distanced seat.
In the sanctuary, you’ll now see a camera and lighting for streaming the service online. A “congregation cam” will allow Zoom worshipers to see those in the sanctuary. We will designate seating areas that are not on camera for those who prefer it.
For now, we will pass the peace with a wave or bow instead of handshakes or hugs.
There won’t be any choirs for the summer (that’s normal!) and we will install a plexiglass screen between the soloist and the congregation. We will permit congregational singing, but we ask that you sing softly instead of belting out your favorite songs.
Communion will still be served on the first Sunday of the month but will use prepackaged communion elements instead of passing the tray.
We will collect offerings differently and we continue to encourage online giving.

One other note about parking is not COVID related but it is important for those coming to the church building. Summer Street in front of the church is closed to through traffic due to construction. You cannot access Summer Street directly from Thorndike Street (Lord Overpass). You can access Summer Street from South Street and drive to the parking lot next to the Sheriff’s Department. The parking lot is open and you should disregard the “road closed” signs near the church.

I know this feels like a lot of change when we’re all hungry to “get back to normal.” However, loving our neighbor means doing what we can to care for the health of our youngest and most vulnerable members. I am sure there will be a learning curve as we adapt to new procedures and hybrid worship. Please be gracious, and if you see things we can do better, let me know! I continue to be available for pastoral care, and I look forward to seeing you in Shedd Park on June 6, in the sanctuary on June 13, or online.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Heather

Spiritual Practices for Rest and Reflection

Returning to Worship at Eliot Church