Covenant Response to Coronavirus
Updated April 22, 2020
Dear Covenant Community,
I miss seeing you in person. I miss gathering in our sanctuary for worship. I miss hearing your collective voices in song and litany. I miss sipping coffee in the Huff Fellowship Hall (often enjoying your conversation so much that I am almost late to the second service). I miss the quiet of my beautiful office and walking through our gardens each work-day. I miss meeting with you though the week and being able to visit you in the hospital or at your homes. I miss you.
As I said in virtual coffee time on Sunday, we are all experiencing rolling disappointment as we come to terms with the duration of our need to maintain physical distance. We will resume in person worship and other gatherings. We will. We will be present in person again and we don’t know when. And for the time being we are suspending in person worship and other gatherings until further notice. Council is working hard to understand when and how we can come back together in person. We are giving credence to the CDC and other reputable scientific sources. We care about each other and want to do everything we can to keep each other healthy.
We are all adjusting to the many changes these weeks have wrought. There are so many feelings in these days: overwhelm, lonely, disappointment, grateful, worry, compassion, joy, grief. However you are feeling, please know that your Covenant community is strong and is here for you. If you have not been able to connect to our on-line worship or zoom meetings due to technological challenges, please reach out. We would be very glad to talk your through how to access our virtual worship and gatherings.
The office will continue to respond to emails and calls but will remain mostly off campus. Council members are taking turns going to our buildings to ensure safety.
Please reach out if you become ill, need to connect beyond the zoom gatherings, or need help with technology. You can email me (laura@covenanthouston.org) or call my cell (832.657.5697) or contact your deacon.
Please note: you are welcome to collect produce from our gardens and take it home. The Women’s Shelter is not accepting produce at this time and our All Church Retreat has been rescheduled for September 18-20.
Keep posting pictures and ideas with #CovenantTogether! We love seeing you!
With love and care,
Laura
Rev. Laura Mayo
Senior Minister
Covenant Church
Harris County, Public Health website: http://publichealth.harriscountytx.gov/Resources/2019-Novel-Coronavirus
Harris County Stay-at-home Order: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Harris-County-prepares-shelter-in-place-order-as-15151465.php?fbclid=IwAR2q5AOXfVmIt9jIxc0SXcnTyj7e3x-qTz5umACLEQYMwO_LIseUflR7Drw
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Talking to children (a comic for kids about coronavirus): https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/02/28/809580453/just-for-kids-a-comic-exploring-the-new-coronavirus?fbclid=IwAR1ovJrZ3P7FJHMCf7IIzLye77iXDGTQ-N7UupfJvwQtAD9S-0pd-8870gQ
Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty: https://afsp.org/taking-care-of-your-mental-health-in-the-face-of-uncertainty/?fbclid=IwAR0Mc89wxmxWk1YrUPHqlsEQThCZTjTrZgzYUw5zNhC0ACc3etgjhAGHlig
Dear Covenant Community,
I miss seeing you in person. I miss gathering in our sanctuary for worship. I miss hearing your collective voices in song and litany. I miss sipping coffee in the Huff Fellowship Hall (often enjoying your conversation so much that I am almost late to the second service). I miss the quiet of my beautiful office and walking through our gardens each work-day. I miss meeting with you though the week and being able to visit you in the hospital or at your homes. I miss you.
As I said in virtual coffee time on Sunday, we are all experiencing rolling disappointment as we come to terms with the duration of our need to maintain physical distance. We will resume in person worship and other gatherings. We will. We will be present in person again and we don’t know when. And for the time being we are suspending in person worship and other gatherings until further notice. Council is working hard to understand when and how we can come back together in person. We are giving credence to the CDC and other reputable scientific sources. We care about each other and want to do everything we can to keep each other healthy.
We are all adjusting to the many changes these weeks have wrought. There are so many feelings in these days: overwhelm, lonely, disappointment, grateful, worry, compassion, joy, grief. However you are feeling, please know that your Covenant community is strong and is here for you. If you have not been able to connect to our on-line worship or zoom meetings due to technological challenges, please reach out. We would be very glad to talk your through how to access our virtual worship and gatherings.
The office will continue to respond to emails and calls but will remain mostly off campus. Council members are taking turns going to our buildings to ensure safety.
Please reach out if you become ill, need to connect beyond the zoom gatherings, or need help with technology. You can email me (laura@covenanthouston.org) or call my cell (832.657.5697) or contact your deacon.
Please note: you are welcome to collect produce from our gardens and take it home. The Women’s Shelter is not accepting produce at this time and our All Church Retreat has been rescheduled for September 18-20.
Keep posting pictures and ideas with #CovenantTogether! We love seeing you!
With love and care,
Laura
Rev. Laura Mayo
Senior Minister
Covenant Church
Harris County, Public Health website: http://publichealth.harriscountytx.gov/Resources/2019-Novel-Coronavirus
Harris County Stay-at-home Order: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Harris-County-prepares-shelter-in-place-order-as-15151465.php?fbclid=IwAR2q5AOXfVmIt9jIxc0SXcnTyj7e3x-qTz5umACLEQYMwO_LIseUflR7Drw
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Talking to children (a comic for kids about coronavirus): https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/02/28/809580453/just-for-kids-a-comic-exploring-the-new-coronavirus?fbclid=IwAR1ovJrZ3P7FJHMCf7IIzLye77iXDGTQ-N7UupfJvwQtAD9S-0pd-8870gQ
Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty: https://afsp.org/taking-care-of-your-mental-health-in-the-face-of-uncertainty/?fbclid=IwAR0Mc89wxmxWk1YrUPHqlsEQThCZTjTrZgzYUw5zNhC0ACc3etgjhAGHlig
