One of the most difficult things about the pandemic is the constant need to readjust our actions and expectations. Once again, we find ourselves in need of change as this week the number of cases in our county have risen to their highest levels of the pandemic. As of this morning, December 29, our case numbers are at 88.9 per 100k via CovidActNow. Yesterday, the Tacoma Pierce County Health Department in their email update reported that their “latest report shows a 19% increase in the 14-day case rate over the last week, and 44% increase in a little more than 3 weeks.” The state and local health departments expect these numbers to continue to rise in the coming weeks.

As we continue to hear news about the new variant, Omicron, please know that your reopening team and pastors are monitoring the situation and working to ensure that our gatherings are as safe as possible. As fast as Omicron is spreading, we recognize that we may need to return to online worship in 2022. If that is the case, we will communicate with you through our usual channels: our website, Carry Out, Mid-Week Pick Me Up, and through the mail.

Our departments of health at both the state and county level remind us the best ways to protect ourselves are to be vaccinated, wear a mask, wash our hands, and get tested if we have symptoms.

This week, we share an exciting announcement: after many conversations with the Reopening Team, we are looking forward to reopening for in-person worship on November 14! Details and FAQs will be mailed to you next week with all the information you will need to attend worship. Even though worship will look different than it did prior to the pandemic, we are incredibly grateful for the ability to gather for worship once again.

Each year, pastors in our annual conference are expected to do at least 20 hours of continuing education. Several weeks ago, I decided that I would attend the last Conspire Conference hosted by the Center of Action and Contemplation to complete the last of the hours I needed for the year. Usually, this conference is in person in New Mexico, but the last two years it has been virtual which has made it more accessible for those who cannot travel.

This summer, the creek that runs through our neighborhood dried up. For the first time in the eighteen years we’ve lived here, the creek bed did not contain even a small amount of water. Fortunately, the rain over the past weeks has replenished and restored the dry creek bed. Walking by, we can once again hear the welcome sound of splashing and rushing water.

One of the most difficult things about this pandemic is the changing nature of what we know about COVID-19 and the best methods to protect ourselves and our community from the virus. As scientific understanding grows, vaccinations increase, and best practices are developed, reopening plans must change. Puyallup UMC’s Reopening Team does their best to stay abreast to these constant revisions.

Last week, our Reopening Team met to discuss some recent changes as well as best practices for reopening. In our conversation, we made the following recommendations and changes to our plans.

In 2018, my parents and I attended the Seattle Flower & Garden Show. I fell in love with a display of beautiful lemon plants and believed the seller’s claims that lemon plants can grow outside in our climate and no, it wasn’t that difficult to take care of them. As a novice gardener, you can guess where this story is going!

As Pastor Cara preached in this week’s sermon, one of the blessings of our creation story found in Genesis 1:1-2:4a is the idea of sacred time. Evening and morning set boundaries to our days, and the seventh day creates a boundary in our week. This final day of the week is set aside for holy rest, which we call Sabbath. My favorite part of this story is that on the seventh day, even God rests.