The Benefits of the Golden Rule
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Image of Matthew 7:12
Practicing the Golden Rule is super important and relevant in our current state, national, and global crises
I hope you can tune in to the livestream or attend in person (with precautions! - see below).
This Sunday I invite you to consider a fourth way of understanding the Golden Rule. We'll look at it from a "don't do" point of view. "Don't do for others what others can do for themselves."
This is quite different from the last sermon. Two weeks ago I said please don't consider anyone unworthy of your kindness or generosity. But this Sunday is about holding in check our tendency to take away someone else's "can do" attitude. This relates to a whole set of teachings referred to by Swedenborg as "the as of self". Here we get into the balance between encouraging
others versus taking over. It actually takes a lot of self control.
With love and respect and prayers for everyone's well-being, physically and spiritually,
Nathan
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What's the status of Sunrise Chapel's reopening?
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Images from AZ governor's recent press conference
With the rise in the number of CoViD-19 cases in Arizona, please continue to use caution
This graphic is a combination of two images from our governor's most recent press conference, held yesterday. What he and others said comes as no surprise to most of us. While he did not implement a new executive order, he did somberly acknowledge the trend in increasing cases of CoViD-19 and strongly encouraged all Arizonans to act responsibly to reduce the spread.
To me, it is common sense to continue practicing social distancing and wearing face coverings in public gatherings. These two things help protect each other, and that is in keeping with the Golden Rule.
I also encourage you to stay connected through our livestream option, our online meetings, social media, telephone calls and any other effective "remote" methods of maintaining our spiritual community. We are in this together for the long haul, and we need each other to get through this unprecedented challenging time.
You are welcome to participate in our church services in person if you practice social distancing before, during, and after AND if you wear a face covering in the building, especially when socializing and singing. Thank you so much for your cooperation and support.
~Nathan
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Guidelines for "soft" reopening for in-person church activities
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Face covering graphic from the CDC
These are the current guidelines for in-person gatherings at Sunrise Chapel
With caution, I welcome you to attend in person on Sunday under the guidelines explained below. Based on the current guidelines for maintaining social distance in the Chapel, we have space for at least 15-20 people in the seating area. There are also "overflow" rooms to view the monitors in either the small group room off the lobby or in Friendship Hall.
However, with the rise in CoViD-19 cases in Pima County, and based on our church's demographics, I encourage people over 65 and anyone with compromised health to continue to participate via our livestream option. See the links below or go to sunrisechapel.org and click on one of the links
there.
For me, reopening at Sunrise Chapel is a matter of safe health practices, not political viewpoints. It is also a matter of practicing the Golden Rule - do for others (wear a face covering) just as you would want others to do the same for you.
This Sunday, once again, I will focus primarily on the livestream via our YouTube channel. This new electronic medium is here to stay, and I intend to continue improving it even as we return to in-person church services.
Guidelines for reopening
1. Stay safe while being kind and respectful. If you attend, observe the guidelines. If you are uncomfortable for any reason, please take care of yourself first; feel free to leave without any negative judgments.
2. Do not attend in person if you are sick, or if you are concerned about getting sick, or if you are at high risk. Instead, please continue to participate remotely.
3. As a community of people who love and respect each other, wearing a face covering is a community service to protect each other, especially the vulnerable. Wear a face covering over your nose and mouth. Please bring your own face covering (mask, scarf, bandana, etc).
4. Practice social distancing while on the church property (inside buildings and outside) including friendly no-touch greetings.
5. Current social distancing guidelines from the CDC and FEMA recommend 113 sq ft per person indoors, which means limiting our number of participants in the main seating area of the Chapel to about 15-20. Members of the same family sit together. The service will also be viewable on the TV monitors in the small group room and in Friendship Hall.
6. On entering and leaving the buildings, wash hands with soap or use hand sanitizer.
In addition, these are procedures we will follow during the church service:
• I will wear a mask before and after the service and while I am singing. I will remove my mask for the children's talk, the readings, and the sermon, with the understanding that the closest participants will be over 8 feet away from me.
• The air conditioning will be turned off just prior to the church service to reduce circulation of airborne particles. With outdoor temps in the 100s this may mean a little temporary discomfort. We will see how it goes.
• Sanitary wipes will be available for individuals to wipe down chairs and surfaces they use.
• Bathroom use will be limited to one person at a time, using only the main bathrooms at the entrance to Friendship Hall.
• We are not handing out printed bulletins or songbooks. Instead, the song lyrics will be projected on the monitor and announcements will either be projected or verbal.
Please, let me know whatever you think. It's good to hear from as many people as possible. I'm doing the best I can, and I don't want to put any volunteers or visitors in any unsafe positions. I appreciate your help and patience!
Looking forward to your participation either in person or online!
Nathan
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Photo: ZOOM logo
After church, Zoom with me at Noon!
If you haven't participated yet, I welcome you. It's a casual time to "check in" with some friends and have informal conversation. Everyone is welcome. It's fun to see each other and say hello. You can pop in for a bit and leave whenever you need to. It's also important to me to get some feedback about the church service and any other aspects of church life.
To join the Zoom meeting, click on this link at NOON
If this link doesn't work for you, go to Zoom.us and enter these credentials for the meeting:
Meeting ID: 949 4617 0443
Password: 05152020 (hint: the numerical date for May 15, 2020)
If you ONLY want to call in (without your computer or video), use one of these phone numbers and follow the prompts. You may have to enter the Meeting ID and the password. You will be able to listen and talk (but you won’t see anyone and no one will see you).
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
Managing Zoom security
For the sake of security, I have enabled the "waiting room" feature for our Zoom call. When you join the meeting, you will enter this "waiting room" until the facilitator "lets you in."
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Photo: laptop + coffee
Weekday Meditation (9:00-9:30 am MT) This is the link for the Monday meditation that I lead, but it is also the same link for the rest of the weekdays, led by other folks. Try it! You might like it!
ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES:
New Church Vineyard (This is a RICH source of KID-ORIENTED content for all sorts of stories from the Bible and the teachings of Swedenborg. Use this for family worship and for "Sunday school" type activities to enhance your spiritual lives at home.)
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Sunrise Chapel needs everyone's help and support
Our church runs on a fiscal year ending June 30th.
This year is a very trying time for many. It's important to be clear about two things:
1. Fundraising is never our goal. It is simply a means to continue the work that we do at Sunrise Chapel... worshiping, facilitating small groups, connecting, serving, and creating our beautiful spiritual home together.
2. We understand that for some during this very unique situation of stay-at-home orders and social distancing, it is creating a very challenging financial situation. We DO NOT want anyone to feel pressured to give.
We do, however, want people to be mindful of our financial picture in order to continue doing the important work that we are so blessed to do together.
If you feel called to make a donation at this time we deeply appreciate it. If you feel called to pledge a planned gift, that would be amazing. All gifts, no matter the amount, help us get to our goal and help support the infrastructure needed for daily and weekly operations.
You can donate virtually through Sunrise Chapel's PayPal account or send a check directly to Sunrise Chapel, C/O William Smith, Treasurer, 8421 E Wrightstown Rd. Tucson, AZ 87515.
Consider setting up a recurring electronic donation through PayPal or by having a check mailed from your bank to the church.
Questions? Ask our Treasurer, Bill Smith william@sunrisechapel.org
Thinking about setting up a planned gift? Talk with our Director of Planned Giving, Mark Wyncoll mark.wyncoll@newchurch.org
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Your church home for partnering with the Lord and each other in the practice of cultivating spiritual growth and choosing heavenly joy
www.sunrisechapel.org
nathan@sunrisechapel.org Office 520-298-1245
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