Do No Harm

In Wesleyan teaching, we hear the phrase “Three Simple Rules.” John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, taught that there are three simple rules that should guide our actions and decisions. We should strive each day to
1. Do good.
2. Do no harm.
3. Stay in love with God.
Throughout the years, that last one has been changed quite a bit to modernize what Wesley meant, but this is the phrase I’ve internalized. Essentially, we are to do those things that keep us in love with God. Wesley called them “ordinances;” we call them spiritual disciplines or habits.

These three simple rules have been shared repeatedly over these last two years as a response to our pandemic. How should we act in the middle of a pandemic? We should do good and do no harm and do those things that keep us connected with God.

We have tried to apply these rules to our life as a church throughout this pandemic as well. We stopped meeting in person because we wanted to do good to the healthcare workers who feared overrun hospitals. We required masks because we wanted to do no harm to those who couldn’t be vaccinated or are immune compromised. We offered online worship and continue to do so to help us stay in love with God whether or not we are in the building. We will continue to use this barometer for ordering our life together as Methodists.

The Genesis Team met again this week and agree that we are on the right track as a church. We don’t need to stop meeting in person because we are not at the beginning of the pandemic anymore. We have tools at our disposal to do good and not do harm. Research and science have informed us and we continue to put best practices into place. We will always reevaluate, and one day will arrive at the place where masks are encouraged but optional. We aren’t there yet, but the day will come!

In the meantime, we remind you to please let us know if you attend in-person worship then discover that you had COVID. We need the data to be able to make decisions about the health of the congregation. We will continue to let you know as we find out, if you have been exposed in worship.

Thanks for continuing to mask and for continuing to “do no harm” as we meet together!

See you soon!
Pastor Lynn

WORSHIP SCHEDULE
(Please note, masks are required during all services as well as inside all St. Mark’s buildings.)
Join us for worship:

• 8:30 a.m. Traditional service with choirs in Sanctuary and child care in Rm 15
• 10 a.m. Modern worship service with Praise Team in Fellowship Hall
• 10 a.m. Traditional service with choirs in Sanctuary
• 10 a.m. Youth and children’s Sunday School and child care
• 10 a.m. Livestream premieres on YouTube and Website

To access our livestream service:

• From the main menu on our website click “Worship.”  -OR-
• Go to YouTube and search for UMC St. Mark’s Oro Valley or use this link.