Thank You
The pandemic has been difficult in so many ways. Specific to our church community, we remember that Pastor Nate arrived, then within days after that we went to virtual only worship services and meetings, with staff generally working remotely. We stayed virtual for over a year. The worship team worked hard to make the virtual service a truly worshipful experience. When we returned to worship and other functions in-person, we had multiple risk mitigation strategies in place, including requesting that all who are in person in the church building remain masked. Those mitigation strategies have gone on nearly a year. And it’s been challenging and annoying!
But we were acting on our scriptural obligation to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:31). Our church family has handled this with grace and love, and for this I say an enthusiastic THANK YOU AND GREAT JOB!
We are now at the point at which we can reduce COVID related mitigation strategies, and I think we all are grateful for that. During this past week Council considered the metrics which will allow us to make masks optional, then days later CDC released new guidance which made it easier to make mask-wearing optional. So, as I write this, we are still in flux, but so close to making masks optional. (And maybe by the time you read this, we will already be at that point.)
Some of the factors that allow us to lessen mitigation include that we are close to entering the endemic phase of COVID. This means that while infection is still possible, it will be at a steadier and more predictable rate, and hospitals are unlikely to be overwhelmed. Of course, there is always a possibility of a new variant worsening our situation, but we are able to address that if it happens. Everyone 5 years of age and older has had the opportunity to be vaccinated unless they have a specific reason that they cannot vaccinate. And there are good therapeutics available. Of course, the past month to six weeks has seen rapidly dropping rates of infection, and both the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services as well as the Centers for Disease Control have modified their recommendations, based on the factors I listed. Some of us will need to continue to use more caution than others, and I am confident that we have fostered the environment in which that will be just fine.
On a personal note, my role in this has been to watch the public health recommendations and data on community infection, and help interpret that. Jaimie Fales has worked with Council on how our church would apply that information. I have appreciated the care that Jaimie, other church staff and Council have used in decision-making and implementation of mitigation measures. I was extremely happy to have this volunteer role, since COVID came along right after I retired. How good it was for me to have this purpose!
So, again, thank you, each and every one of our church family.
Linda Wetherbee