Friends,
This morning when I woke up, it was actually cool outside. It gives me hope that we are turning a corner on Summer and moving toward Autumn. The change of seasons always brings me energy and excitement, imagining what is to come and how the world will feel different in the days ahead.
The same is true about the pandemic. The summer Pandemic experience was one of despair and fatigue for me, as it has been for so many of you. But as I watch the Key Indicator numbers go down again for Austin/Travis County and for so many other parts of our nation, it gives me hope that we are turning a corner again in this long COVID pandemic journey. We reached our Stage 5 peak of 84 (7-day running average of new hospitalizations) on August 11th, and today we are down to 57. We are still in Stage 5 (above 50), but the numbers are moving in the right direction!
We all long to be together again – in worship, in study, in prayer, and in fellowship. It will happen again, perhaps soon. I ask you to be patient, be safe, stay healthy, keep wearing your masks in public. God will gather us together again and we will rejoice together!
Peace,
Pastor Jack