Covid-19 Related changes for the 2020-2021 Lay School of Ministry program.

The Lay School of Ministry Board has undergone careful deliberation about the shape of the 2021-2022 year, as we assess risks and how to steward the Lay School through the moment we find ourselves in, we have decided that at least until April our programs will be on Zoom only again. The reasons include:

1) Our delight and surprise at how well people participated and showed up for the 2020-2021 year. You all were great!

2) The willingness of instructors to adapt to this way of delivering our education.

3) The Delta variant has introduced new risks into the equation. Many of our students are in categories that are high risk due to age and multiple people who are immunocompromised or are in relationships with people who are immunocompromised.

4) The length of time we meet, the social distancing limitations, and inadequate ventilation in some spaces all put us at greater risk than experts are currently advising. The necessity of masking for three-hour blocks of time is not appealing. 

5) The geographic opportunities for student involvement across the country with the enrichment that comes with it is a tremendous gift God has given us in the midst of a tough situation. Even locally, this reduces our carbon footprint.

6) The hope that God will bring us through this and we shall again be gathered in the future.

7) Trust that you will have ideas to make the year ahead even better than the last and will suggest them to me.

Pastor Phil Ruge-Jones, Director
rugejones@gmail.com

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