I greet you in the name and with the love of Jesus who is the Christ.  I am very excited about meeting in person in Erie to conduct the business of the annual conference.  I am confident that those of you who live south of I-80 and do not regularly experience the beauty of the northern tier of our annual conference will be blessed by your travel.  I am praying the weather and the highways will be at their best as you travel so that you truly will be able to enjoy God’s creation.
 
Unfortunately the COVID 19 infection rate is not at its best in Erie County. We have received notice that Erie is in the Red Zone, with a high risk of Covid transmission.  If we had received such a notification earlier in the pandemic, we would have had to cancel our in-person meeting.  However, after living with this virus for so many months, we have learned how to safely navigate such conditions.
 
In order to ensure the safety of everyone at the Annual Conference session, and those we will encounter once we return home, there are several things I will be requiring.  I know some of our members do not like being required to do anything, but the alternative to requirements is cancelling our in-person meeting.  After two years of virtual conferences, I am certain that all of us will be willing to endure these requirements so that we can meet in person.
 
First, if you have a medical condition that makes you vulnerable to the virus or if you are not vaccinated, please contact your doctor and get their advice and counsel about attending annual conference. Follow your doctor’s advice.
 
Second, because the Bayfront Convention Center has installed a hospital-grade HVAC ventilation system which kills COVID, and most voting members of annual conference will be coming from areas where the infection rate is low, we will, as the family of the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference, create our own bubble. 
 
Third, all persons who attend any session of the conference, including the staff of the convention center, must wear masks indoors unless they have a medical condition that prevents them from doing so.  I encourage you to bring your own masks, but if you happen to forget yours, we will have a supply of masks at the convention center.  
 
Fourth, there will be times, such as during meals, when it will be appropriate to remove your masks. However, you are encouraged, whenever possible, to take your meal and eat it outside. Those singers and speakers who will have dedicated microphones and will be physically distant from others can remove their masks when speaking.  Those who will be coming to communal microphones to speak will need to keep their masks on while speaking.
 
Fifth, if at any time during the conference you develop flu-like symptoms, stay in your hotel room.  Notify your pastor if you are a lay person or your District Superintendent if you are clergy. Do not come to any sessions.  We will make arrangements for you get meals until you are able to return home or determine that the cause of your symptoms is not COVID and, therefore, return to the conference.
 
We now know how and have the ability to safely manage this session as an in-person event.  However, it is going to require cooperation from everyone.  We will need to make sacrifices and feel a little uncomfortable at times. But we can do this!  Let’s have the city of Erie marvel at how well we love one another.
 
To God be the glory,
Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi