The following post is adapted from a letter sent to the Christ Our Hope congregation by Fr. Jeromie Rand on October 21st, 2021.
Dear Christ Our Hope,
By now, I am sure that most of you have heard that Larimer County has issued another mask mandate. Beginning at 12pm yesterday, all public indoor spaces (including churches) must either require face coverings or check the vaccine status of everyone who wishes to enter the building. We will never use vaccine status as a requirement for participation in worship at Christ Our Hope, so compliance with the law requires that we go back to wearing masks in the service.
From the beginning of my time as rector at Christ Our Hope, I have said that we would comply with all public health orders as long as they do not present a fundamental obstruction to our ability to worship God. There is a point where I would be willing to engage in civil disobedience for the sake of the Kingdom, but I do not think this latest mandate crosses that line. We have worshiped with masks in the past; we can do so again. As we return to wearing masks, I ask you to do so in “the meekness of wisdom,” (James 3:13) setting aside your personal stance on mask wearing for the sake of unity in the church and witness to a watching world.
But I want to acknowledge that doing so comes with a cost. For some in our community, wearing a mask represents a significant loss. Perhaps a mask feels like an encroachment upon your autonomy or makes freedom in worship more difficult. Masks can make communication with others a challenge. They can contribute to a feeling of being unclean, as if we are seen as a potential vector for disease rather than a brother or sister in Christ. These difficulties can come without any conviction that wearing masks is truly helping to keep others safer. If this latest mask mandate arrives as a trial that you must endure, I encourage you to allow it to produce steadfastness of faith, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)
For others, wearing a mask is no big deal. Some of you have been doing so voluntarily for the last few weeks, and you may feel a sense of relief that the community is engaging in protective measures against the spread of COVID. The challenge for you is not to boast in this decision, celebrating a victory that causes pain for others. That way is the wisdom of the world, not that of God. (James 3:13-18)
As we acknowledge the difficulties of this time, it is important that we direct the cries of our heart to God. Whether you are feeling sorrow, anger, anxiety, exhaustion, or relief as a response to this latest health order, I encourage you to bring your entire self to God. As individuals and as a community, we need to learn that God wants us to be entirely honest with him. Our Psalm for this coming Sunday, Psalm 13, is a particularly appropriate place to start. It begins: “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” As we gather in worship on Sunday, the psalm will be one place where we can give voice to our loss together.
As we express the depth and diversity of our feelings and still choose unity and joy in worship, I trust that God will work in us for our good. He can and will use this mask order, and our response, for the sake of his kingdom. To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!
Grace and peace,
Fr. Jeromie+
P.S. On a practical note, wearing masks will look a little different this time around. The latest mask order does make provision for those leading the service, so I will not wear a mask while preaching or celebrating at the table. Neither will I ask readers to wear a mask at the lectern, and Nathan and other musicians will not be required to wear a mask while leading us in musical worship. All of us will wear a mask when sitting with the congregation, and I will wear a mask while distributing Communion or walking among the congregation with the gospel reading. I hope that the lack of masks on those serving from the front helps us to retain some sense of normalcy and personal connection as we navigate this together. And if you have specific questions or difficulties with our response to this latest mandate, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.