Dear OEF Siblings,
As we stated in our last post, we have been monitoring the coronavirus situation as it impacts our plans for holding Chapter/Convocation this year. Here are some of our current thoughts:
-It is looking pretty doubtful that we will be able to have Chapter at the scheduled time, June 24-28. No one really knows whether the pandemic will be “over” by then, but it is looking like it may not be. Travel restrictions, lock-downs, social distancing, etc., will likely still be in force.
-With the above in mind, we are looking into moving Chapter to August. At the moment, there are slots available at our venue (Pallottine Renewal Center) then.
-But again, it is not even clear that August will be OK. If even August is not OK, we will consider whatever options (if any) may be possible once we have more certain information.
-Given our current uncertainty, it doesn’t make sense that you would be required to make payments for Chapter. If you have not paid yet, please don’t feel the need to do so; final payment can even be at Chapter itself. If you have already paid for Chapter and find yourself in need of those monies in the next little bit, do feel free to contact the OEF Treasurer (at nancy.menning@gmail.com) for a refund of the portion of your payment designated for registration. Otherwise, decisions about whether to refund those fees or to re-classify those funds as donations — made on a person-by-person basis — will wait until a final decision is made about the 2020 Chapter.
-Although payment is not necessary, we would still like to get an idea of how many people might attend at whatever time Chapter is held. So please continue to register.
We would like to get your ideas on all of this: the more of us who can help connect to what the Holy Spirit is calling the OEF to do, the better. Please feel free to contact any one of us via direct email, or via the oef-chat.
We live in uncertain times. It takes a lot of strength, mental, emotional, and spiritual, to live well in such circumstances. But as a community of faith, we have one thing to fall back on that is certain: we know that God is with us through all of this.
Peace and All Good,
The OEF Council Bruce James Kay, Jacoba Ketchum, Betty Lou Leaver, Markie Oliver, Juniper Robertson
