This Sunday we have the opportunity to gather, actually physically gather, for the first time in months. Personally, I’m excited about that. At the same time, I know that this initiative may stir all sorts of concerns and fears and that it really won’t be everyone’s preference. We’re going to do our best to offer an “in person” opportunity to the community and to livestream it for those not attending, which will hopefully make the gathering as accessible as possible. Another experiment – we’ll see how it goes.  I’ll put the details about location, distancing, kids, etc at the end.

The focus of our time together this Sunday won’t be on exploring an idea so much as on exploring our own experiences, hopes and fears. We’ll sing together a bit, and then have what will amount to an extended, guided Community Time. I know that we can share online  (I’m very grateful for that!), and I also know that isn’t the same as sharing our experiences when we’re in the same space. My jumping off point will be the thought that when we face a challenge on the magnitude of a global pandemic, it can open us to new possibilities. We also face a choice – whether we will recoil in fear or open in hope. Often we vacillate between the two, or live in a complex mixture of them. This Sunday, I want to invite us to reflect together on what our experiences have been – what has made us feel afraid, what has stirred up hope, how we feel about the present and the days to come. If you are joining the gathering online, my hope is that we can bring whatever you share on the Facebook page into the physical gathering by reading the posts. If Facebook isn’t your thing, you can email in advance or text me (see below).

We also need to touch on some important community business matters, as follows:

Money (why beat around the bush?): I’m so grateful for the way this community has been able to sustain itself during these difficult times, with the unanticipated loss of work and income and the uncertain future. Our expenses have been carved down to the bare minimum, which certainly helps. We don’t have a building to maintain, insure or staff. And our staff is one – about as minimal as can be. That said, we are rapidly approaching a cash crunch. Short version – we don’t have enough money in the bank at the moment to make payroll at the end of the month. There are a variety or reasons for that, and some possibilities in the wings that may help out in the longer term. I’ll talk a bit about those on Sunday. If financial support is part of how you participate in sustaining this community, details on how to give without doing so in person can be found here. Please note that the big green button labelled “donate now” connects to Paypal, and that other options including etransfer are outlined below it. 

Returning to “In Person” gatherings: As we are able, we’ll have a bit of a conversation about this on Sunday and ongoing in some form online. Creative Manitoba is open for business again, and interested in having us return. That said, the provincial guidelines at present would make gathering in that space a very limited and relatively complex matter. I won’t go into the details here, but will share a bit more on Sunday in order to get a feel for what options we should be considering going forward.

Sunday Details: Some of this is a reiteration of what I posted last week, but there are also new particulars regarding location, parking and the Littles, so if you are hoping to attend please read it all.

One way or another, I hope to see you on Sunday.

Peace,

Tim Plett