Friends,

Let’s plan to worship together in the sanctuary this Sunday, October 3, for World Communion Sunday!

I have been watching the COVID-19 Staging Indicator for Austin/Travis County. On Tuesday, Sept. 28, Travis County officially moved back down into Stage 4. In just ten days, the Staging Indicator fell from 51 on Sept. 20 (Stage 5) to 32 on Sept. 29 (just barely above the Stage 3 threshold). The last time we saw this number was July 20, but now the numbers are trending down instead of up. There is every reason to believe that this number will continue downward well into Stage 3 in the coming days and weeks. All of this is good news for the health of our community, and for those of us longing to return to in-person worship.

According to Session guidelines (we are following the Austin/Travis County determinations), we are able to meet again in-person for worship, and we will ask everyone to remain masked, regardless of your vaccination status, until we reach Stage 2 again. Still, the decision to attend in-person worship needs to be an individual decision, based on your vaccination status, your general health, and your risk tolerance. If you are not ready to join us in person, stay home and participate online; we will still broadcast the worship service each Sunday by 5 p.m.

The Stated Clerk of the PC(USA) released a statement this week about where our denomination stands on vaccinations, and the theology behind it. You can find that article here:  Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) – Vaccination and faithfulness in a time of pandemic (pcusa.org)

With cautious hope, let’s gather this Sunday in the sanctuary to pray together and worship together and break bread together (okay, we will still be using the individual communion cups, but you get the idea!). I look forward to seeing you all.

Peace,

Pastor Jack