Dear Friends,

St. Andrew’s is open for worship! The Centers for Disease Control has recommended that persons in highly impacted areas for Covid-19 (including Pierce County) wear masks when gathering in public spaces indoors. This is a recommendation rather than a requirement. Here at St. Andrew’s, each person is encouraged to make their own good decisions about whether to wear a mask in church IF you are fully vaccinated. This decision was made with consultation with our Wardens and Parish nurse.

We respect each person and household making their own good decisions:
· To return in person or to participate online
· To wear a mask in church or not (many choose to do so)
· To receive the wine or juice at communion or just the bread or to remain in your pew.
· To sit in our socially-distanced section of pews or closer to others.
In all the ways we are gathering and serving, St. Andrew’s is doing well. I hope you will join in, however seems good at this time.

Our 8 am and 10 am Sunday services are being offered almost as before the pandemic, with the 10 am service also live-streamed on Facebook Live and recorded for later viewing on our website. (Audio of the sermon is also posted on our website.) Wednesday Noon Communion services are also offered weekly.

Today, flipping through The Book of Common Prayer looking for something else, my eyes caught on these two bits of the “Outline of the Faith” in the back. You might explore it sometime. (pages 845-862. if you need a prayer book, let me know.)

Q. What is the Christian hope? (p. 861)
A. The Christian hope is to live with confidence in newness and fullness of life, and to await the coming of Christ in glory, and the completion of God’s purpose for the world.

Q. What, then, is our assurance as Christians? (p. 862)
A. Our assurance as Christians is that nothing, not even death, shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Yours in Christ,

Martin+