Greetings friends,
As you are no doubt aware, cases of Covid-19 are rising
precipitously in our community. The last three days have seen 950 new
Covid cases, with each day setting a single day record. There are currently a
record 2,263 active Covid cases in Knox County and it was reported yesterday
that 7 Knox County residents died due to Covid in the previous 24 hours, a
single-day record. Thirty-three deaths have been recorded thus far in the month
of November. We do not have this virus under control.
Experts from Johns Hopkins have advised groups larger than
10 people to refrain from meeting together indoors. The University of Tennessee
Medical Center released a statement urging the public to follow the five core
actions more aggressively. The director of emergency preparedness for the Knox
County Health Department asked Knox County residents to change their behaviors
in a press conference yesterday, saying, “This is up to you as a community to
decide what this looks like. We need you to invest in it…It’s truly up to the
community to decide whether behavior is going to be changed and actions are
changed to really make an impact over the next few weeks.”
The Session of 2nd Presbyterian Church discussed
this situation at its regular stated meeting last night. The Session cares deeply
about the safety, health, and well-being of everyone who calls 2nd
Presbyterian Church home. We also want to be responsible members of the
community and do our part in fulfilling our civic responsibility to not
contribute to the further spread of the virus in any way. For this reason, the
Session has decided to heed the request of the experts and our civic leaders
and change our behavior.
Effective immediately, all in-person worship services are
suspended at least through the end of January. The Session will take up this
matter again at its next regular stated meeting on January 19th and
make any adjustments or further recommendations at that time. Additionally,
the Session has also decided to close the church building for the same period
of time. The staff will continue to work from both home and the office, the
church phone and emails will be answered during normal office hours, and the
regular business of the church will continue uninterrupted. However, other than
the preschool, the building will be closed to both groups and individuals until
the end of January.
This does not mean that the ministry of the church will come
to a stop. We will still be engaged in the ministry and mission to which we
have been called by Jesus Christ; we will just not be doing it from the
building. Committees will continue to meet electronically and we will continue
to serve our community in various ways. Worship will continue, returning to our
virtual, streaming-only format. Meals for the homebound will still be prepared
and delivered. We will still collect stuffed animals for Judge Irwin’s court
and still have a hat/glove/mitten tree for Westview’s clothes closet. The
outside door to the vestibule will be unlocked during the week so that you may
place collection items in there. You will also be able to pick up hard copies
of the newsletter and Advent Devotional in the vestibule, if you prefer not to
use the online versions.
I know this is going to be a difficult time for all of us,
especially as the holidays approach. Please, I beg you, use caution in the next
few weeks. Avoid risky behavior. Avoid gathering indoors with others. If you
feel the least bit sick (or even just a little weird), stay home. Please wear
your masks, wash your hands, and don’t go anywhere unless you absolutely have a
need. Show your love for your neighbor by doing your part to decrease the
community spread. I know it’s hard. I know it’s challenging. But it’s only for
a little while longer.
Stay safe. Stay healthy. If there is anything you need
during this time, please do not hesitate to reach out to Pastor Tim
(276.525.5202) or Jan Barber (865.765.0437). Don’t call Pastor Sarah, though,
as she is on maternity leave for the next 8 weeks! And remember the words of
Psalm 62:
God
is my rock and my salvation – my stronghold!
I
will not be shaken.
God
is my strong rock. My refuge is in God.
Trust
in him at all times, all you people!
Pour
out your hearts before him!
God is our refuge!
Grace and peace…
Pastors Tim and Sarah
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