July 23, 2021
Dear Good Samaritans:
A Prayer for Guidance
Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being. We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
We write today to share some updated COVID-19 protocols. We do not do so lightly and, with all of you, pray that the time will soon come when the changing dynamics presented by this virus do not consume so many of our “cares and occupations.”
As it is, the Delta variant of COVID-19 is now present and strong in East Tennessee. The past ten days have seen a significant increase in both case numbers and positivity rates, and our local COVID hospitalizations have increased by approximately 400% in the same amount of time.
With this news, and in consultation with our COVID Team, we will return to mask wearing during worship and gatherings at Good Sam. We ask that everyone regardless of vaccination status please wear a mask. This is how we can best protect our children and the vulnerable in our community.
Vaccination is still our best and greatest hope against this variant, and so we again encourage all who are twelve and older to get the vaccine. The vaccines are safe. They are effective and nearly eliminate the risk of severe illness and death. For yourself and for our community, please get vaccinated.
The news with the Delta variant is that the fully vaccinated population is testing positive with asymptomatic illness at a higher rate than previously thought and therefore sharing in the spread of the virus to the unvaccinated and vulnerable. For this reason, for the love of our neighbors, we will all mask when we gather.
We pray for the continued guidance of the Holy Spirit and pray in thanksgiving for this community in which we share the cares and occupations of this life.
Ever walking in God’s sight,
Cal+ and Elizabeth+
