PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

If you are planning to attend in-person worship at St. Mark’s on Sunday, May 16, wearing masks and maintaining social distance is still required. This is true for both the 8 a.m. outdoor patio service and the 10 a.m. Sanctuary service. Here’s why:

• The unexpected news from the CDC on Thursday, May 13, stating that masks and distance were no longer required in most cases for vaccinated people came one day after the Genesis Team’s regular Wednesday meeting. The Genesis Team, which has met every Wednesday for the last 15 months to review data and assist us in closing and reopening our campus, will meet again next Wednesday, May 19, to review current data and give guidance for future Sundays and other gatherings at St. Mark’s.
• Since we do not require that only vaccinated people attend worship, some people who do come may not be vaccinated. For now, that means we all need to wear masks and maintain distance.
• Our Covenant Council, which is our church’s decision-making body, meets Tuesday, May 18, and will hear from the Genesis Team and discuss the CDC’s news as it relates to St. Mark’s.
• Also, as many of you know, our daughter, Julie, 43, is undergoing both chemotherapy and radiation treatments for breast cancer, which makes her more vulnerable to diseases. To protect her and others like her from catching something from me that I might have caught from another person, I will continue to wear a mask and maintain distance, at least for now.

If you want to come to worship this Sunday, May 16:

• Recorded worship continues at 9:45 a.m. on our website and YouTube. On our Facebook, follow the link that easily takes you to YouTube. This gives you easier and better access to the service. (See links for all at the end of this message.)
• Come to 8 a.m. outdoor worship on the west patio. Bring a chair, if you can. The service lasts about 40 minutes.
• If you’re registered, come to 10 a.m. Sanctuary worship. To register for worship NEXT Sunday, May 23, watch for the email that will come at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, May 17, or call the church office at 520-297-2062 beginning at that time. We have expanded that registration to at least 90 people.

Whew … that’s a lot of news! This Sunday, we’ll talk about “The Power of Words” as we continue our series on “Jesus and Love in the Ten Commandments.” Next Sunday is PENTECOST – the celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit and is known as the birthday of the Christian church. Be sure to wear red to worship!

Here’s a short prayer to guide us: Gracious God, we pray for all those who make decisions, that they may be guided by you and your love. Heal those places in our world where there is disease and violence, especially in India and in Israel. Give us all calm hearts that are focused on you and help us love one another as love us. Amen.

Blessings,
Sharon

Worship at 9:45 a.m. on Sundays at umcstmarks.org/live-worship; YouTube UMC St. Mark’s Oro Valley or access the YouTube link on Facebook St. Mark’s UMC Tucson. You can also watch the service at a later time.