Let us go to the House of the Lord

 April 21, 2021

Dear Friends,

I write you today with a heart filled with excitement, joy, and anticipation. Our church leadership made the difficult decision last March to suspend in-person worship as the pandemic spread. We adjusted quickly and provided ways to stay connected through online worship, ZOOM classes, outdoor events, and countless other creative activities. Thanks to the tireless efforts of our church staff and volunteers, we persevered and found new ways to grow closer even as circumstances forced us to keep a safe distance.

The St. Mark Session monitors the case numbers, vaccine distribution, and CDC recommendations. I am excited to announce our leadership recently approved a move to in-person worship on Sunday, May 16 at 10:00 AM. We will still provide online worship through a livestream on our church’s YouTube page. Members and guests will always be able to join us through this easily accessible channel. For anyone who is able to join us for in-person worship, there are several precautions we are implementing. They include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Please stay home if you are feeling sick.
• Everyone is required to wear a face mask when in the building.
• There will be no congregating in the narthex before or after the service.
• Ushers will escort worshippers to and from designated socially distant seats in the sanctuary.
• We will have music, but there will be no singing from the pews.
• There will be no touching during the “passing of the peace.”
• We will not pass the offering plates in the service. There will be a basket in the back of the sanctuary for tithes, gifts, and offerings. You can also give through the USPS or online through our website (www.discoverstmark.org).
• On communion Sundays, we will provide everyone with an individually prewrapped bread and cup.
• Children are welcome to worship with their families. There will not be Children’s Church or nursery care.

The Session will continue to monitor the situation and examine best practices for other church activities moving forward. We will have more information in the coming weeks. Please look at the newsletter, bulletin, website, and social media for additional details. If you have any specific questions, I encourage you to contact the church office. I am thrilled with the thought of worshipping together in the near future. God is good! All the time!

In Hope and Confidence,
Pastor Dave, Pastor MP, and the St. Mark Session

“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord’” (Psalm 122:1, NRSV)