From the very start of the COVID crisis, St. Luke's has had a singular concern: the health and safety of all its members and visitors. As you know, the CDC updated its guidelines this week because of the rise in infections and increased hospitalizations due to the delta variant, especially among younger people. The city of Atlanta has imposed an indoor mask mandate.

It is good for us to pause to remember that God calls us to protect and care for all. To that end, we will continue to ask worshipers, from 2 years on up, to wear masks. This Sunday, the choir will begin wearing masks when not singing. When Children's Chapel resumes on August 8, all children are expected to wear masks. If you are on campus - for a meeting or just walking down the halls - please keep your mask on. The staff will wear masks whenever more than one person is in a room.

This will disappoint some people and be a relief to others. These are anxious times and no matter how one feels about masks or vaccines, we all want the pandemic to be over. It is not yet. Whether or not you have been vaccinated, please wear a mask when you are at St. Luke's so that we can do our best to protect those who cannot get vaccinated and to prevent breakthrough spread of this variant. With the strength that comes from our creator and by supporting one another, we can reach the other side of the pandemic, together.

St. Luke's is collecting bottled water to provide some LOVE HYDRATION for Crossroads in conjunction with Transfiguration Sunday on August 8. We're asking you to purchase new, unopened bottles/cases of water. There will be volunteers to receive water if you bring it with you to the 8 a.m. or 10 a.m. services. We will also have a drive-by drop off for the bottles at the upper church parking lot (off Peachtree), from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for those who prefer to drop off after the services. Please donate as many bottles as you can!

Join us for the next Interfaith Prayer Vigil THIS Monday, August 2 at 6 p.m.  Eric Robbins and the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta have offered to host the August gathering. The vigils are offered on a monthly schedule and leadership rotates among the interfaith community.

There is a real power in interfaith prayer, as St. Luke's parishioner Ann Cramer notes: "Each vigil I am touched that the words are more relevant than they were in the vigils of the past!!! The prayers touch my very soul and resonate in a deep spiritual way!! So much gratitude to YOU!!! To each of YOU!! MANY, many thanks!!!"

Observe National COVID Awareness Day at St. Luke's on Saturday, August 7 at 11 a.m. We're joining people from around the nation who are gathering to honor the lives of family members and friends who died during the pandemic. For those who are gone, are not forgotten. Invite others to gather with us in The Park at St. Luke's. The organizers ask that you click the link below and sign up to give them an idea of how many people will attend. Please note: Wearing a mask is required. Due to the rise of the delta variant cases, we want to be as safe as possible. For more information, click here.

To help, contact Tanya Washington (washtg@yahoo.com).

In August we're filling the baskets for the Boyce L. Ansley School which provides tuition-free education for children who have experienced homelessness. They could use: glue sticks, colored pencils, dry erase markers (all colors), scissors, left-handed scissors, colored construction paper, white card stock. You are also welcome to check out their Amazon Wishlist for other items they could use.

If you're in-person on Sundays, bring your donations with you and place them in the baskets in the Narthex. If not, you can drop off your donations during business hours (8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.) at the door by the Reception Area (there is a basket waiting!) and when you return to your car, please call Valerie at the desk and she'll come retrieve your gifts. You can reach Valerie at 404-873-7600.

After safely spending so much time apart, the theme for this year's Parish Retreat is "Together.” Mark your calendars and join us as we spend time together as a parish in the North Carolina mountains from November 19 - 21.

Registration, both online and paper format, starts August 15. Be sure to register early to receive the discounted rate! More information, including the speaker for the weekend, will be coming out in the next few weeks. If you have any questions contact Horace Griffin or Retreat co-chairs Montserrat Miller and Mignon Crawford.

The Rite 13 ceremony, a lovely liturgy held during a Sunday Eucharist service, marks a young person's transition from childhood to adulthood. We hold this ceremony once or twice a year, and are planning one for the coming months. Youth who have not participated in the ceremony and who are 13 years old (or turning 13 in the next month or so) are encouraged to participate in our next ceremony. Please contact Liz Beal Kidd by email (liz@stlukesatlanta.org). She has more details and is anxious to know you (or your child) are interested in participating.

St. Luke's is your family. If you have a pastoral - or other - concern, please email one of us or call: 404-873-7600. You can find email addresses for clergy and staff by clicking here.