From the Rector
As I said on Sunday, I do not think I will ever forget this Easter. To see so many of you gathered together in worship was a blessing. I am grateful to all who made Easter Sunday so special.
With warmer weather and more people being vaccinated, there is a real hope that the worst of COVID is behind us. Balancing that hope with the reality that the disease is still here is tricky. As we begin to re-offer in-person opportunities for prayer and worship, I ask that you respect and follow the guidelines given by our diocese and your church. Again, we are doing our best to re-offer in-person opportunities, but where and how we gather will look different for some time to come. A great example of what I mean by this is our chapel. Our prayer chapel to the side of the church is a wonderful place for prayer and meditation. I am proud to say that even during 2020, it was never locked. It is, however, too small and too closed in for in-person worship right now. Because of this, All Saints' Hall has become our chapel. It is a space that is currently dedicated for the purpose of worship. It is a holy space, made holy by holy use. Flexibility, creativity, re-imagining, and responsible use will be big parts of our 2021 story.
In my annual meeting address I said that one of the active missions of our church in 2021 would be participating in the ministry of public health. Yesterday, I spoke to Brandon Williams, the new volunteer coordinator at Gamecock Park. We spoke about challenges people have faced in signing up to volunteer. We also spoke about how, now that pretty much anyone can be vaccinated, fewer volunteers are coming out to help. Essentially people volunteered, got their shots, and then stopped volunteering. I offered to help as best I could, so please use the "GAMECOCK PARK VOLUNTEER" button below to check out the volunteer opportunities available at Gamecock Park.
I have been doing my best to volunteer on my days off. I ask that if you have time, you consider joining me in this effort. Follow the instructions in the link. I just signed up to work at the entrance of Gamecock Park next Wednesday afternoon from noon to 6 p.m. Feel free to join me. If you can't do that day, sign up for another slot. There is a volunteer shortage and our church has the people who have the time. If you let me know that you have signed up by emailing me, I have permission to personally call Brandon to make sure all of the St. Martin's applications are approved. Once you are in the system, you can sign up for as many volunteer spots as you would like. If you have the time, I encourage you to help. It's a great experience and a great way to love our neighbors as ourselves.
In Christ,
Mitch+