December 15th, 2020
Dear friends in Christ,
We hope and pray this letter finds you healthy and well as the pandemic continues to impact our daily lives. These past 10 months have been difficult to navigate, but by the grace of God, we have managed to do so faithfully, working together to steward worship, fellowship, and safety.
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Matagorda County, it is imperative to re-iterate the need for safety and concern for our neighbors. There was a notable spike in case count following Thanksgiving, and there is no reason to believe that the same will not occur following Christmas gatherings with family. It is our hope, prayer, and intention to continue to offer in-person worship as long as we can do so safely. The Church Council, Worship Committee, Pastor Pete, and Vicar Laura have been meeting and are working diligently to mitigate risk; however, the greatest responsibility lies with each individual member.
In order for us to continue in-person worship, please abide by the following guidelines:
1. If you or someone in your household are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 (even if you believe it is not COVID-19 related), please stay home! These symptoms include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body ache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Headache
2. If you or anyone in your household have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past two weeks and you have attended any in-person gatherings, please notify any of the members of the church council or worship committee, Pastor Pete, or Vicar Laura. This is not intended to be intrusive or meddle, but out of a need to provide contact tracing so as to mitigate exposure and potential risk of spread.
3. If someone in your household has tested positive for COVID-19 or has been tested and is awaiting results, you are asked to self-quarantine until you receive a negative test and/or you have been symptom free for 14 days.
For in-person worship at church:
- Please continue to wear your mask/face covering any time you are in the church building.
- When gathering for worship, please practice social distancing. This means collecting your worship items and going directly to your seat, without moving around and visiting in close proximity to others.
- After worship, please leave efficiently, without congregating in the narthex or sanctuary.
In summary, if we are not able to do these things out of concern for one another, it is likely that in-person worship will need to cease for a period of time until community spread of the virus is under control again. That is not something any of us desire, but the health and safety of all is our number one priority. St. Peter Lutheran Church is made up of many members, some of whom are particularly vulnerable to this virus – out of an abundance of caution and concern for our beloved friends and neighbors, please take great care.
With regards to Christmas Eve worship services, if you will have visitors or guests joining you for in-person worship, please share these guidelines with them ahead of time. Even as we look forward to sharing in celebration of Christ’s birth, we still must exercise great care and concern as we prioritize safety and love of our neighbors. Safety remains our priority, so please help us to practice that to the best of our ability.
If you are at particular risk for COVID-19 (65+ or living with pre-existing conditions) or are simply not comfortable gathering for in-person worship, please feel free to worship with us via Zoom or Facebook live or view the recorded service at a later time on our Facebook page.
Please feel free to reach out to any of us with questions or concerns you may have. Know that each of you remain in our prayers as we continue through this Advent season, eagerly awaiting the celebration of Christ’s birth.
Yours in Christ,
St. Peter Lutheran Church Council
St. Peter Lutheran Worship Committee
Pastor Pete Lopez
Vicar Laura Anderson
If you or a member of your household have tested positive for COVID-19 and you have attended in-person worship or gatherings (Bible Study, Wednesdays in the Word, etc.), please contact one of the members of the Church Council, Worship Committee, Pastor Pete, Vicar Laura, or the church office. Thank you for helping us slow the spread of this virus
