Dear Brother and Sisters in Christ,
I understand the fear and concern around COVID-19. Sunday evening, as I was preparing for Evensong, I heard that a priest who had attended the annual CEEP conference, a conference that St. Martin's attends annually, was a patient diagnosed with the virus in Washington D.C. I have to admit a moment of fear shot through me. Public health officials in DC and Louisville (where the conference was held) have cleared everyone who attended, but nonetheless Sunday night to Monday was a night of personal anxiety. I am sure others have felt the same.
St. Martin's has worked with professionals to prepare our COVID-19 response. We are doing this because we want to take care of all of our members and our community. As I said on Sunday, the church is a place that is called on to lean into crisis, not run from it. At the same time, we need to be wise, prepared, and loving.
This new weekly email is among our responses, and will include regular updates about what we know and what we are doing. Among our responses this week include making extra soup and casseroles through our Casserole Ministry. Should you need a meal down the road, we will have one ready for you.
We are also assembling a list of people to help with things like shopping and appropriate delivery procedures should someone be quarantined. As of today, several members of our parish, due to unrelated health issues, have been advised to avoid outside contact. We want to be of service to these folks as best as we can.
Also, this Sunday, The Rev. Chuck Petit, M.D, will give a talk about
“COVID-19 and the Church’s Response to a Pandemic”
between services, at 9 a.m. in the Parish Hall. He will provide an accurate, faithful, and medical opinion about how our members can best be prepared.
So look for this update in your inbox on Tuesdays for the time being. This information will be sent in a effort to help all of us respond during this time of uncertainty with love -- love of God, love of neighbor, love of family.
In Christ,
Mitch+
