“Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” -Isaiah 40:31
Dear St. Mark people,
One of the many things I have learned these past two years is that patience is a limited resource. When we run out, we can either give up altogether or find some spark of hope to keep us going. Like most parts of the world, Covid cases in our area are the worst they have ever been. Hospitals are running out of beds, and healthcare workers are beyond exhausted. Everyone is tired. My prayer today is that our faith in the Lord will give us the strength we need to endure for just a little while longer.
After talking with the staff and our council, it is clear that we need to take some additional precautions to keep everyone safe here at St. Mark. Our Sunday morning schedule will be staying the same— we will still be able to worship in-person for now. However, we ask that folks sit only with members of their own household and to avoid physical contact with others, including during the passing of the peace. To help with social distancing, some rows will be blocked off. And even though everyone will be wearing a mask, worshippers will be asked to sing softly.
Except for Holy Communion, all food and drink is suspended for at least the remainder of January. Yes, I regret to say that includes even coffee and donuts on Sunday mornings. The goal here is to ensure everyone leaves their masks on at all times while in the building. So, fuel up on caffeine at home, leave that to-go cup in the car, and come fully charged to worship!
Sunday School, Adult Forum, Bible studies, and other meetings may continue to meet in person with these mitigations in place. That being said, your safest bet during this major surge is to stay home and meet remotely whenever possible. Weekday groups that choose to meet in-person should provide a remote option for those at home, which the office can help you set up. On Sundays you have the option to worship with us via our 9:00am YouTube livestream. We have at-home communion supplies available outside the café so that we can stay connected through that holy meal during the next few weeks. You can pick those up during office hours, or whenever the building is open. If you live in Winnebago or Boone County and need communion supplies delivered, let the office know, and someone will bring that bread and wine to your home.
Most of the experts anticipate this surge will drop as quickly as it jumped up, so our hope is that these extra measures will only be needed for a short time. We will continue to adjust our practices as needed until this surge is behind us. As always, I encourage you to stay connected to one another. Check in with a call or message, pray for one another, and support each other with grace. May God continue to grant us the patience, strength, and compassion we need to endure this pandemic together.
Peace,
Pastor Chad McKenna
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