News | Eliot Presbyterian Church | Lowell, MA

Friends in Christ:

These nine weeks of worshiping remotely have been a season of great creativity, growth, and forbearance as we have learned to navigate new technologies, deal with constant change, and stay connected even when we cannot be together. We have done all of this while watching friends, neighbors, and family members struggle against a virus that we still know little about. Many members of our congregation work in healthcare and have been on the front lines of this battle. I thank them for their selfless, Christ-like service and recognize the stress it causes for their families. Because of a community-wide commitment to “flatten the curve” we are beginning to see the virus retreat in Massachusetts, and many are longing to find and settle into a new normal, including worship in our church buildings.

The session met last Saturday to consider the when and how of reopening the Eliot building for worship and group meetings. Reflecting on the current virus status (with input from our healthcare provider members), the session voted to keep our building closed for all non-essential activities through at least June 21. This means:

The earliest possible date for worship in the sanctuary is Sunday, June 28.

Small groups and renters will also not be permitted to meet in the building until after June 21.

Staff should continue to work from home as much as possible.

The homeless day center (an essential service) may continue as it currently operates with extreme limits to capacity and social distancing measures.

The session will evaluate this decision at the next session meeting (June 20) and make further recommendations at that time. In addition, the session will review what protocols are necessary to reopen safely when the time is right using resources from our presbytery, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the CDC.

In today’s press conference, Governor Baker indicated that houses of worship may resume gatherings effective immediately, with specific protocols for capacity and social distancing. The session’s decision was a wise one for our congregation which includes a large number of healthcare workers. It is not safe for them, for us, or for their patients to resume gathering too soon. We remain committed to our plan of opening the building after June 21.

As the session prepares for a safe reopening, I also call on all members to recognize that a safe reopening will not be a return to the old ways of gathering. Activities like singing, passing the peace, and sharing communion – things that are central to our identity as Christians and as Eliot Church – remain high risk. I do not know yet exactly how our gathering will be different, but we can expect that it will. While we do not wish to diminish the quality of our worship, neither do we wish to spread infection among our congregation. We may need to grieve the loss of some beloved practices so that we do not have to grieve the loss of people’s lives.

I am so proud of and encouraged by the witness I have seen in the Eliot congregation in these nine weeks. You have gathered faithfully for worship and prayer online, you have given generously to the ministry of the congregation, and you have cared for one another from afar. I see the Spirit of Christ alive in you. That Spirit has carried us this far, and it will continue to carry and unite us as we find a way forward that reflects both faithfulness to God and care for our neighbors. As always, I am available by phone, email, text, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and more. Please be in touch to let me know how you are doing and how the church can support you in this season.

Be well,

Pastor Heather

Friends in Christ:

It’s hard to believe that it’s been eight weeks since we last met in person for worship and fellowship. Our world and our lives have changed significantly in that time, and we’re all wondering what a new normal will look like after this pandemic comes to an end. While we do not yet know what the future will hold, or even when that future will arrive, we do know that God walks with us in love. We, likewise, are called to walk with one another in love (not physically, of course!). In times like these, it is especially important to remember that Eliot Church is not a building but a community of people redeemed and called by Jesus Christ. We can maintain the bonds of community even when we cannot gather in person.

The governor’s current executive order mandates the closure of all non-essential businesses through at least May 18. Even after that, we expect to see constraints on what kinds of business can open and under what conditions. I expect that large gatherings (like worship services) will be suspended for some time. When we are permitted to gather again, we will need to adapt to guidelines for social distancing. The session will make final decisions about how to return to in-person worship and will follow the guidance from the commonwealth, our presbytery, and denomination. We intend to keep our most vulnerable neighbors safe. At Eliot, we are especially mindful of the large number of healthcare professionals who need to stay healthy to do their jobs and who are likely to come in contact with COVID-positive patients in their work. (Thank you to all the nurses, CNAs, and other medical workers in our congregation. We see you and we love you!) Whenever we gather again, we will do so with wisdom, compassion, and a willingness to adapt.

As we wait and plan, I continue to give thanks for the faithfulness of God and the incredible resilience and generosity of our church community. You all have adapted with grace to this new world. You are learning new technologies and continue to engage in “disbursed” worship on Zoom and Facebook. You have reached out to one another in a variety of ways. You have upheld your financial gifts to the church and the wider community, allowing us to maintain our staff and even offer new uses of our building in the community. I thank God for you every day.

I remain available by email, phone, text, Facebook, WhatsApp and any other way you can find me. Please be in touch! Enclosed with this letter are a few resources to encourage and sustain you in the weeks ahead. I hope that they serve to remind you of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the community we share through the Holy Spirit.

Be well,

Pastor Heather
pastor@eliotlowell.org | cell: (410) 300-4543

Plan for Reopening Our Building

Pastor’s Letter – May 7, 2020