A Word from Mitch

I want to begin by saying thank you. Finding out just before the 10:30 a.m. service that your child is on the way to the hospital is not a usual Sunday. Thanks to everyone who helped with rides for Lydia and swung by the house with food. The Smith family felt truly supported. Noah is healing up and back at school. Thank you.

Reports from yesterday at the mass vaccination site at Gamecock Park next to Williams-Brice Stadium indicated that the rate of people getting vaccines here in Columbia is slowing down. I suspect that in South Carolina many people who want the vaccine have at this point received it or have appointments to get it in the near future. I believe that soon, in the context of our state, the value of these sites will go down, giving way to community outreach, health and vaccine education, and door-to-door initiatives.

In some ways, the church can learn from this. In the weeks to come, consider inviting your friends and neighbors back to church. If you felt safe during worship, please share that feeling with others. If you didn't feel safe, please let the church know what we can do better. The initial surge of people returning to church is over. We now begin the work of rebuilding and reviving our community. The way to do this is tried and true. Please invite people to come and see what we are doing. Invite, invite, invite.

In Christ,
Mitch+