On October 22nd, Rev. Terese Fandel and other local pastors led an outdoor service to bless local healthcare workers and to express gratitude for their courage, dedication, and perseverance during the pandemic.

It is time to offer another perspective, from inside the world of Christian faith. Many Christians across this region of North Idaho take this coronavirus pandemic seriously. They share deep concern for people in our communities who have dedicated their lives to our health and well-being and put themselves at risk to care for those infected by this disease. Many have been vaccinated and are willing to accept a temporary burden of precautions that have been strongly recommended in order to reduce risk of the free spreading the disease among us all as neighbors.

A new congregation in the Catholic tradition has been meeting for about a year and a half at Lutheran Church of the Master in Coeur d’Alene. They worship at 5 p.m. first and third Saturdays. Community of the Holy Spirit is part of the Ecumenical Catholic Communion (ECC), with roots in the Old Catholic Church of Utrecht that challenged Vatican I’s papal infallibility and yet is consistent with apostolic Catholic theology of Vatican II.