As we step into a new year at The Oceanside Sanctuary and a renewed vision and mission, you are invited to lean into community and help us cultivate a Christian spirituality “reclaiming its calling to be known for love, liberation, and the celebration of God’s image in all people.”
This spring we conducted our second round of the relatively new 6-week class How (Not) To Read the Bible. With the COVID lockdown in full-force, I hosted the class on Zoom and wasn’t quite sure what to expect for turnout. Turns out, we had an amazing showing! People Zoomed into the course from all over the country: California, Texas, Georgia, New York, Utah, and Alaska! In fact, of the 23 people who completed the course, nearly half of them were from out of State…
We pray you are staying safe and healthy out there during this pandemic! Our prayers are with those of you who have family members and friends who have tested positive for the virus. We pray for quick recovery and no lingering health effects. Today we want to share some the details of our plans for returning to in-person worship:
On Monday, June 8th, two weeks after the the murder of George Floyd, the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival is calling for a Moral Monday National Day of Fasting and Focus, which will culminate at 5:00 PM ET when we are asking people to stop where you are for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in silence in honor of the time George Floyd had the literal knee of the state on his neck.
As the State of California eases public health lock-down restrictions, OSC leadership is carefully considering when and how we might best meet our congregation's physical and spiritual needs and prepare for a return to in-person gatherings. Your feedback will help us make the best decisions together as a church.
As you may know, every fall and spring we conduct a fund drive to keep our church going. So from now until June 14th, we are inviting you to becoming a Supporting Member of OSC. Supporting Members are those who commit to give regularly to support our mission. Why does this matter? Let me answer by telling you about just a few of our newest friends who have joined OSC this year.
Dear OSC Parents,
I am sure it has been a big adjustment to have your school aged kids home. I also know that kids can feel the effects of change differently than adults; Wearing a mask, staying home from school, and in some families, not even being able to hug grandparents. This time is really difficult for all of us and likely taking an emotional toll, including our kids.
One of the teachers in our congregation, Jandy Palmer, shared a fantastic activity for kids to process their feelings called The COVID 19 Time Capsule. You will find it here. I think it is a great way to chat with your kids about their feelings. My favorite part of the project discusses community; I hope you will express that our church family loves them and is praying for them.
- Jenell Coker, Children's Director
Prior to quarantine, we had several membership inquires for our newly renovated offices here at OSC, which is very exciting! However, in cooperation with the stay at home order, we did not feel comfortable accepting new applications for members at that time.
Now, as we look at the stages for reopening business in California, we are prepared to be allow a limited number of members to join in stage 2 of reopening.
We believe our building is large enough to provide a safe distance for members and will be providing them procedures to ensure that everyone keeps a clean and safe environment.
If you know someone who may have interest in a Rising Tide membership, we are offering 50% off with a 3 month commitment. Direct them to visit our website RisingTideOceanside.com and book a tour!
