Dear St. Paul Family,
On Monday, June 29, the Congregation Council held a virtual meeting with the specific goal of assessing the feasibility of returning to group worship on Sunday, July 12. All Council members and Pastor Bill participated in a thorough and open dialogue. In view of the recent upward trend in new cases reported in Ohio and across the country the Council voted to not return to group worship on July 12. Further, to allow time to monitor future short term trends, we voted to postpone any return to group worship to at least August 2.
There are none on Council who do not yearn to return to live group worship and are not frustrated, like you, that there seems to be no “light at the end of the tunnel.” But unfortunately, the current trends in virtually every part of America are heading in the wrong direction. Yesterday, June 30, there were over 48,000 new cases of COVID-19 reported across the country, the highest single-day total since the beginning of the pandemic. And the United States currently has the highest death toll from COVID-19 of any country on earth. With the welfare of all firmly in mind and acknowledging the significant number of “high risk” individuals in the congregation, we cannot ignore those trends and risk the health of our members.
We ask for your understanding and patience.
Respectfully,
Pat Sherman
President of Congregation Council