St. Mark Family,
During this season of Advent, I had great hope we would see the numbers of COVID cases decrease, that we would feel more comfortable to gather together and worship. However, as the weeks progressed, here in East Tennessee, we have seen the exact opposite. As of today this week has seen our highest number of new cases to date in Knox County. On our metrics we are watching, Knox County has increased to 62.4 new cases per 100k in population. This is the highest we have seen in our area. As hard as it is to say, we will be online only this Sunday, December 6, 2020.
I am praying for all of you, hoping you remain safe. Please remember, if you must go out, to wear your mask, wash your hands, and keep your distance. I hope you will join me in praying that these case numbers will decrease so that we can be back in-person soon. I have this great hope, that even in these weeks apart, God will continue to connect us through prayer, and as we celebrate this season of hope, peace, joy, and love. May Christ give us all light in these dark times.
Grace & Peace,
Sam Ward