Dear Summit Church Community, May 15, 2021
As you may be aware, guidelines for mask use due to the COVID pandemic were updated yesterday, Friday, May 14, by both the CDC, the State of Colorado, and here in La Plata County. While there still is a “mask recommendation” in place, most churches and other entities are moving to a “mask optional” policy for indoor and outdoor gatherings. After consulting with the COVID Safety Team in place at our church (which consists of an infectious disease physician, a small business owner, a member of our Trustees, a member of our Building and Grounds Team, a naturopathic doctor, and several staff) a decision was made that masks will now be optional in our building and gatherings, including worship and Summit Kids, trusting that each of us will still do our best to be cautious in our interactions, especially if someone we come into contact with is choosing to wear a mask because of precautions they must take for themselves or their family.
It is STILL recommended by the CDC that persons wear masks under the following conditions:
- Persons who are not vaccinated.
- Persons who are immunocompetent, vaccinated people who are primarily focused only on themselves not getting sick from COVID.
- Vaccinated people who live with others who are unvaccinated (including kids), immunocompromised, or in high-risk groups. This is because a vaccinated person could “theoretically” still be exposed to COVID, become infected but not get sick or have symptoms, and yet could carry it home and spread it to others who may not be protected. There is not enough current data to quantitate this risk.
- Also, please remember that the effectiveness (protection) of vaccination is less with increasing age over 60, so a vaccinated person who is 81 may have incomplete protection and still become infected. Of the “vaccine failures”, the failures went up with increasing age.
We look forward to connecting with you in person when you are ready to do so, remembering the “golden rule,” that doing unto others as we would have them do unto us, is a command from Jesus which encourages us to respect the health of others and ourselves, as well as the choices we make around issues such as wearing a mask.
PLEASE NOTE: This policy does NOT currently include our Early Learning Center as they have separate State and County regulations for licensing by which they must abide. Our Director is in regular communication with State of Colorado licensing and the Board of the Early Learning Center to set their policies and procedures to keep our children, staff and families safe as they interact 5 days a week, Monday to Friday.
Thanks again to each of you for your patience and understanding as we learn our way together through these challenging times. I recognized that many of us are experiencing “pandemic fatigue” and I am grateful to lead a congregation in which we are doing our best to love God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. I leave you with these words from the Apostle Paul in Colossians 3:
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Jeff Huber