Why We Continue To Wear Masks at St. Andrew Lutheran Church

This spring, the Centers For Disease Control announced that those who have been fully vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine, could safely go about society without a mask. The real-world science experiment of the COVID vaccines was proving to work and it continues to work.

Locally, since winter 2021, we have seen tremendous improvements in our COVID-19 related data. Active cases have been down, positivity rates down, hospitalizations down, deaths down. Things have been looking great! The only number that has been disappointing to see is the vaccination rate. Locally and statewide, it has completely stalled out. What was growing at a rate of 3% each week for several months, is now down to a .10%-.20% growth rate each week. However, Williamson County continues to lead the state at just under a 50% vaccination rate. (as of 7/15)

With regard to the Delta variant that is growing at a rapid rate, the last two weeks, within the state and within our area, we have started to see a rise in active COVID-19 cases, increasing positivity rates, and increasing hospitalizations. Given how low our overall vaccination numbers are, there is concern about how high these COVID-19 numbers will go. The one thing that is proving to work well against the variant is the vaccine. The majority of cases that are being seen now are among the unvaccinated.

The COVID-19 vaccines continue with their trials, and at this time, only the Pfizer vaccine has been approved for those age 12 and higher. This means that anyone aged 11 and under does not have access to a vaccine at this time. It is in consideration for our 11 and under members and visitors, and for those of any age who are immunocompromised and can not receive a vaccine, that we continue to ask parishioners and guests at St. Andrew to wear masks whenever we are gathered inside in groups larger than 20 people. It is important that the church continue to be an inclusive and safe community for everyone.

Believe us, we are tired of wearing masks. We want normalcy. But we also know that we need to take into consideration the health and welfare of everyone in our community.

We appreciate your patience. We appreciate your flexibility. We appreciate your kindness. Thank you for caring and loving all of your neighbors when you come to St. Andrew.

The COVID Advisory Team

Amy Vehec, MD

Beth Smith, RN

Eric Crispell

Matt Coleman, MPH, CHES

Dear Siblings in Christ,

All people, without exception, are welcomed at Christ’s table. With these or similar words, we invite the community to Holy Communion each Sunday.

This expansive inclusion is not a new idea. The Lord spoke through the prophet Isaiah of a day when God’s temple would be a “house of prayer for all peoples.” All nations. All manner of persons. Isaiah longed for that day. Those whose way was barred from the temple longed for that day. Jesus longed for that day. We long for that day.

Part of the church’s call is to satisfy this longing in the world by embodying that idea in our faith community. We are called to be a “house of prayer for all peoples,” where all people are welcomed and loved.

In the past 18 months, COVID-19 brought unimagined challenges to the church’s ability to live out that calling. St. Andrew, like every other church around the world, worked hard to keep the community engaged — to be a house of prayer for all people. Finally, we have the joy of meeting together in worship, sharing the holy meal, and singing — oh, the singing!

And we still have the nuisance of masks. Everybody is tired of the masks. The vaccine has made it safe, for those of us who have received it, to go maskless. Yet, as we gather in community inside our worship spaces in groups larger than 20, we still wear masks for the protection of those who don’t have the option to receive the vaccine. A house of prayer for all people must be a safe place for all — at least as safe as we can possibly make it.

We hear you as you express your exasperation over the inconvenience of wearing masks, and we understand it. We are exasperated along with you.

We don’t wear them to the supermarket or restaurants. Supermarkets and restaurants are not faith communities; they have a different mission in the world. Our mission is to be the open arms of Christ, welcoming all who are hungry for the bread of Life that is Christ — to be a house of prayer for all people.

Those of us who have received the vaccine have the option of wearing masks or not. We at St. Andrew choose to wear masks in solidarity with those who do not have the option to be vaccinated. In this way, for now, we are responding to God’s call to be a house of prayer for all people.

We hope you will join us at St. Andrew Lutheran Church where all people are welcome — without exception.

Together in Christ,

Pastor Pauline and Pastor Eric

ST. ANDREW LUTHERAN CHURCH |www.saintandrewchurch.com