This Week from Mitch

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope that you are well! We have had a very busy week, and I am grateful for Alex Cato's presence among us. On Sunday, at our first EYC of the new program year, we had 24 young people present. It was an amazing start. Alex is building an awesome program that will include play, prayer, and spiritual development. I am grateful, excited and hopeful. I hope that you are as well.

It is no secret that the pandemic has forced us to consider deeply what church means to us. We have had to decide whether we feel safe coming or not. We've had to learn how to do online worship, trying also to do it well. The learning curve has been as steep as it has been expensive. We've had to deal with folks being mad. Some have been upset, saying that we have been too cautious. Others have said we have opened too fast. Others, I think, also thought the shut down would be temporary, and they quit coming to church, thinking it would be for a week or two, which stretched to four weeks, then four months, and now its approaching two years. To these folks I want to say, come back, you've been missed, and you are loved!

I believe St. Martin's has protocols that can now accommodate everybody and every COVID comfort level. First, let's take a moment to talk about the inside services. The building has an air exchange system that is considered very good. Our air in the church exchanges 18 times an hour. Also, masks are required inside of our worship space.

At 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., we have services inside. Masks are required, and we are following social distancing protocols. After the 5 p.m. service, we have EYC from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Protocols are being followed there as well.

At the 10:30 service, the same mask and physical distancing protocols are in place. This service includes our choir. It is livestreamed on our YouTube channel. If you feel safest worshiping from home, please know ALL ARE WELCOME. With that being said, we are now offering something new. It combines online and outside worship. Weather permitting, we are setting up screens in the courtyard. You can worship outside with plenty of space, and still be in and with the community. At the Eucharist, after the Peace, one of the clergy will come outside and celebrate the Eucharist with you. It offers a chance to be in the community while also accounting for the medical needs of our people.

Starting this week, before the 10:30 a.m. service, we have Sunday School at its usual time of 9:15 a.m. Students fourth grade and up will meet in various spaces in the Youth Loft. Godly Play will be offered for our youngest in the courtyard. And adults will meet this Sunday in the church.

On Monday of this week, we hosted the clergy of this diocese and all of the candidates who are running for bishop. I spent time afterwards talking to the clergy about what we are doing at St. Martin's. It became very clear to me that, hands down, there is no other church in Upper South Carolina with as robust or inclusive programming as ours.

To keep this up, we need help. I need volunteers to come this Sunday at 9:15 to learn about the outside setup! We need volunteers to come back to teaching Godly Play. We need both help and commitment. To continue doing this, we need many hands. If you've been away from worship, come back! We are open and we want to worship our Lord Jesus Christ with you in community. We want to pray with you, celebrate with you, and worship the Lord with you.

Soon, we also will begin our stewardship campaign. This year is a transitional year for us. In order to emerge from this pandemic as a thriving church, we need you. Every financial gift will matter as will every gift of time and talent. I believe Church is needed now more than ever. People across all ages, social and economic demographics have reported an increase in loneliness, stress and mental health needs. I do not believe church is the absolute answer for all of these things, but I do believe it is part of the solution. Your participation is a big part of how you can love your neighbor as yourself. Setting up for outside church is how you can help a child with a compromised immune system or an adult with underlying conditions worship with friends and family. Pledging is how you can help us keep our Community House open for the hundreds of people who make their way through that space each week. Participating is how you can help further the mission of St. Martin's (like our Habitat build). Things look different, but the spirit of St. Martin's is still very much alive and well. Our doors are open. Please prayerfully consider walking back through them.

In Christ,

Mitch+