10 January 2022
Dear Saint Markans & Friends,
As a community of faith, we work together, pray together, strive together, and dream together and, from time to time, we also make hard decisions together. We now find ourselves in such a time.
As you know all too well, COVID infections are on the rise and our most recent numbers indicate a positivity rate over 140 per 100,000. This rate exceeds even that of Washington DC where, on December 23rd, our National Cathedral’s leadership wisely and courageously opted to move all Christmas worship on-line in light of a local positivity rate of 130 per 100,000. We believe this open/close benchmark is worth honoring in our own location, so, in consultation with the Executive Committee of Council and our Dean, we have decided that it’s in the best interest of this faith community to pivot our own COVID-19 response.
To that end, beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, January 11th, we will pause all Saint Mark’s community on-site gatherings, including prayer, worship, and programming, moving exclusively to virtual gatherings until local positivity rates fall back below 100 per 100,000. We hope this post-holiday infection bubble will be brief. This is obviously not where we want to be, but it is our local reality. As a faith community, we are strong and well-equipped to face this challenge. We have excellent on-line programming available for you, first-class live-streamed worship, and, most importantly, a community of care and concern who can reach out to one another thoughtfully and creatively during this time apart.
While we’re apart, please continue to demonstrate your love-in-action by completing all eligible vaccinations and boosters, avoiding large in-door gatherings, wearing your masks, and maintaining your physical distance as directed. Continue to extend extra courtesy, kindness, and respect to our front-line essential workers who do not have the luxury of staying home to guard against infection. And please continue to hold all our grieving families, friends, and neighbors in prayer and tender support as they bear the anguish of this senseless loss of life, now totaling more than 830k nationally and nearly 5.5M globally.
Stay connected, pray for each other, join us on-line, and tend to your neighbors. With the Holy Spirit among us to guide us, may we be a witness to wisdom, compassion, hope, and love.
Thank you for your continued understanding and support. And look for updates, as they become available.
In Christ,
The Rev. Tim Kingsley, Canon Pastor
