Scott's Weekly Greeting, June 15, 2021

Author: Rev. Scott W. Cousineau
June 15, 2021

Weekly Greeting, June 15, 2021 ...

They say, "If you do not like the weather in New England ... wait a minute!" Certainly, the last few weeks have been a rollercoaster ride here in southern Maine. First it was too cold and wet to plant in the garden, then it was too hot and dry to plant. Over the last couple of weeks there have been occasions to wear my winter coat and run the air conditioner in the same day!! My sinuses are so confused they do not know what to do!

We have experienced a similar phenomenon over the course of the last year with regard to COVID. Things were constantly changing. Every time that we adjusted to the new circumstances, the situation changed. Every week was a different challenge when it came to planning and scheduling. Every week the different was different. Some weeks it was the virus itself, other weeks it was the technology that helped us through the pandemic, other weeks it was the equipment. There were times when it seemed as though the virus was under control only to have it spike out of control. And let us not forget how politicized everything got along the way.

And now we come to that time of being in between. We are emerging from our bubbles and experiencing more freedom, but are also aware that there are still concerns out there. A majority of us have been vaccinated, but many have not. There are those variants out there. We have been told that the vaccine will protect us, but ... what if they do not? And let us not forget that the issue is still very divisive.

We are excited to resume in-person worship this Sunday, June 20! It will be wonderful to have people in the sanctuary again! But we resume in this milieu of concern and celebration. We have had the mask mandate lifted, but organizations and businesses can still require masks. People are tired of wearing masks, but some people are still wary. There is judgment associated with vaccination or decisions not to be vaccinated. I attended a meeting a couple of weeks ago. One person at the meeting said that they were not vaccinated. Within seconds another person at the meeting asked, "Why not?!"

We will gather on Sunday for worship and it will be wonderful. However, we will require attendees to wear masks. Some people are still vulnerable and as a loving, caring community we will all wear masks. We do not want people to be judging one another during worship. We want to gather and celebrate together ... one church, one family, one body. If one person is vulnerable, we are ALL vulnerable. We do this together.

May God bless you all!

Scott

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