Hello, People of Grace,
I love this time of year! The weather turns and morning walks are invigorating rather than feeling like you’re pushing through Jello. I hope you are well.
The Vestry and Medical Advisory Team have been discussing our current situation with decreasing COVID-19 cases and our need to nurture the community’s life, and I wanted to send out this important update to you. I hope you find it exciting and hopeful.
We are currently very close to a 10% positive test rate for COVID-19 in Hall County. This is good. Our diocesan marker for lessening restrictions is tied to the CDC framework which is geared toward a 5% positive test rate for community spread. With this being the case, we want to publicly state that our goal is to reach a 5% positive test rate, at which point masks would be optional for those in the building. This would mean for any meeting or service as well as for GWAG meals. We are headed in the right direction!
For those who may find it helpful, here is a link to the Department of Health’s website. Many figures are included in the chart on this page, and you can change between various data points for both county and state. Simply change the chart to percent positive for tests and Hall County, and you can track the figures yourself. You may find it interesting to see a wider picture of the challenge that we have all faced, if you have not done so before.
As well, I want to share that beginning this Sunday, given that those on the chancel are distanced and vaccinated, the preacher and readers will be able to remove their masks. We will keep our masks on while serving Communion at this point, since we are in close proximity, but perhaps this change will help folks hear even better, as well as see while walking and carrying processional items.
These have been truly trying days for us all, and I remain deeply grateful for this community’s engagement and commitment. At times, we have all felt overwhelmed by the anxiety and stress that has saturated so much of our lives. Thank you for your deep care for the parish and for one another. Now, from here, we look toward healing and imagining how the Spirit continues to invite us into new embodiments of what “church” will look like in the future.
Many blessings, now and always,
Stuart