Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday 2021

1. Today is Shrove Tuesday – the day the church has set aside to
prepare for Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. For
reasons that are not entirely clear to 21st century American
Christians, much of the Church has centered its remembrance
this day around pancakes :) If you're interested, here's a
 link to a good article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrove_Tuesday Like
lots of other stuff, COVID keeps us from sharing pancakes
together in the church this year, but nothing says you can't whip
up a big old stack smothered in butter and syrup for yourself and
go to town on those cakes, or whatever you feel is so decadent
that it might not be appropriate for the season of Lent. Once a
year the church encourages you to just go ahead and get it all out
of your system (I'm thinking Perkins here, though, not Mardi Gras)! 

2. Tomorrow Lent begins with Ash Wednesday services. We will
hold two in-person services, at 12:00 & 6:00 P.M., both with
 Imposition of Ashes and Holy Communion, done as safely as
we can imagine. Masks and distancing will be required. The
 12:00 P.M. service will be livestreamed for those who prefer to
attend that way, with drive-through ashes and communion
immediately following in the back parking lot. 

3. As promised, I will include in the Thursday announcements our
recent COVID-19 case numbers, and in looks very much like we
will be able to reopen for Sunday worship. Watch for the
Thursday email for final word on that. 

4. As we begin to regather in the church, our volunteer schedules
will need to be restarted. Cory and Gina will be creating the
February assignments by hand, but soon you will again receive
notifications from our scheduling program (MSP) program and be
asked to submit your availability as before. More to come on that.