Update from the Reopening Committee – Nov. 20

Friday, November 20, 2020

An Update From the Reopening Committee

Dear Good Shepherd,

We recommend today that the parish temporarily suspend in-person worship. Our recommendation is a response to Travis County’s move to Stage 4 of Austin Public Health’s risk-based guidelines and the rise of COVID-19 cases both in our immediate community and in other areas. Like many of you, we share a strong desire to worship together again and anticipate a return to in-person worship when Travis County returns to Stage 3.

Our committee’s goal is to identify an appropriate balance between the physical health risks of COVID-19 and the mental health risks of isolation and separation. If you are experiencing loneliness or difficulty, please know that you are not alone. We encourage you to reach out to your Shepherd Circle or to contact the parish office for pastoral support. We are on this journey together. We trust that God’s Spirit and our love for one another will sustain us through this difficult journey.

We pray today for our parish and our community, particularly those suffering from COVID-19, those suffering from isolation and loneliness, those impacted economically, and the healthcare workers and scientists who work tirelessly to end this pandemic. We hope you will join us in these prayers. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to one of us or to a member of the staff or clergy.

The reopening committee continues to meet weekly. Its members are Ben Hanson, Taylor Bowles, Janie Walker, Mark Stewart, Erin Stephens and Boots Willeford.