Pastoral Letter for a Faithful Church                        June 4, 2021

Dear friends,

Well, last month I wrote and promised to let you know when we would be able to make some adjustments to our Sunday schedule.  Finally!  This is that letter.  We have spent some time figuring out how best to “finish” reopening and we’re going to do it incrementally as we move through the summer. All of this is in accordance with the Governor’s Executive Orders and LCPS guidelines.  So here’s the schedule:

June 6 (this Sunday)

No more dismissing by sections
No more separate entrance / exits
No more taping off rows

June 13

No masks required for those who are vaccinated.
Masks are still required for those who are NOT vaccinated (even if they've previously been diagnosed with covid)

June 20

Pray with kids before Children's Church

July 4

Resume informational table with magazines, handouts, etc.
July 4th picnic will continue with food precautions

August 1

Resume our normal practice of the Lord's Supper and praying with families. (We will still offer prepackaged cups alongside the regular bread and juice)
Resume coffee / hospitality table 

September 5

Stop offering Zoom option for Sunday School
Restart Nursery during Sunday School (this depends on having the necessary volunteers)
Labor Day Picnic will return to potluck
Restart in-person community groups this month.

Keep for now

Offering Boxes
Projecting the Bulletins, Announcements, etc.
Posting Sermon, Outline, and Bulletin on our website
Hand Sanitizer available throughout the auditorium
Livestreaming the worship service

This Sunday starts our summer schedule. We are in desperate (frantic, eager, dire, despairing) need for a few volunteers (we especially need more men) to teach children’s Sunday School and for Children’s Church.  Many of children have returned to Sunday School and in-person worship, but some of our adults who have returned have not (yet) volunteered. We need you.

In one of the testimonies shared back in March, Mark Rist spoke of the great blessing that came his way through teaching our children.  We want our children to know the Lord and to walk with Him all the days of their lives.  Being able to watch them grow in the faith is a beautiful thing.

If you’re able and willing to teach either of these classes this summer, please contact the far more gracious Courtney Stine (tumbleweed613@yahoo.com) for Sunday School and Sarah Wang (wang.sarah.m@gmail.com) for Children’s Church.

I will miss you this Sunday as I’ll be leading a retreat for Faith PCA in Frederick, MD.  Please pray for our time together as I teach on the subject of worship.

Grace & Peace,

Dr. David V. Silvernail, Jr., Senior Pastor
Potomac Hills Presbyterian Church