Bereavement Process, Mask Policy, Return to Church (Pastoral Emphasis for 10/31)

Here are a few items from our Church Family Meeting today...

Due to the recent number of bereavements, I want to remind everyone of our Bereavement Process. Members should inform their Deacon and/or the church office of death in their family (in particular a spouse, child, parent, grandparent, or very close relative). The deacon or church office will reach out to the member to discern how the church can best serve the member during this time of loss (we'll gather information about arrangements for Homegoing/Memorial Service, Funeral Home recommendations, etc.). During this contact, we also want to know if the announcement of the bereavement will be private (where only Leadership is informed) or public (announced to the entire congregation). As a church family, let's all support those who are grieving regardless of how well you might know the person. 

An early reminder that Daylight Savings ends next weekend. So if you have any clocks that need manual adjusting, set them back an hour on Saturday night. 

I'm thankful that COVID cases and hospitalizations are trending down. Although the Town of Cary has removed the indoor mask mandate, Mt. Zion is going to continue to ask everyone to wear their masks in the building. The CDC is still recommending that masks be worn in crowded spaces indoors. As usual, we'll continue monitoring the trends, CDC recommendations, and reevaluate our mask policy. 

I want to continue to encourage everyone to return to in-person worship. There are just some things that cannot be experienced virtually. We serve a God who didn't just redeem us from afar but come down in a physical body to redeem us through Jesus Christ. Worshipping virtually is a good alternative when one cannot attend but it is not a substitute for in-person worship.