17 Jul Mosaic Update
Church Family,
I wanted to bring you up to speed on where Mosaic Church is in terms of “re-opening” and hosting live services on our campus.
The bottom line is… unfortunately, and sadly, we don’t anticipate re-opening any time soon. That is, despite reading all the news and despite trying to be as positive and yet as informed as possible, the truth is, we are not even able to set a target date at this point, due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, especially in Texas and specifically in Austin.
Additionally, and you should know, we have had a recent spike of COVID-19 cases in our Mosaic community as well. Over the last couple of weeks, I have been informed on a near daily basis of someone testing positive, and a number of these were from asymptomatic Mosaic members being around one another, caring for one another, but unintentionally and unknowingly spreading it to others. In March and April, this was not an issue; it is now.
Beyond these confirmed positives, there have been a number of people who have displayed all the symptoms but either have not been tested or are awaiting test results. All of this has happened across all racial, gender, age and socioeconomic lines. Thankfully, within our community, no one has died and only one has had to be hospitalized (to my knowledge), but some have experienced very severe and weeks’ worth of lingering symptoms. The point is, this is in our community.
I would encourage all of us to take this very seriously, as this virus has the ability to spread quickly.
We do, of course, deeply miss all of you and being who we are together. I can’t tell you how discouraging it was for me, personally, to have to communicate to you about our need to postpone our re-opening. While we love being able to be online and are proud of the work we are able to do week in and week out, and while it’s been amazing to connect with lots of new people, the truth is, it’s not the same as gathering in person. So, we want to be able to gather safely, and are preparing ourselves for what it would look like to be online only for the next number of months now.
Along with that, you should know that we not only want to be able to gather safely, but meaningfully as well. As you might expect, I have pastor friends in both the local and national body of Christ, and what they say about having to gather with no families with children (because of no children’s ministry), wearing masks, and only about 25% of their congregation gathered is honestly not that great. The reports are that all of those factors make large church gatherings feel, well, really weird and a little discouraging. Additionally, some churches have tried to re-gather, only to shut down again, making it feel even worse.
When it looks like it is possible to gather safely, we will–but we want to make sure it’s as meaningful as possible as well.
I’m sure you can empathize with the complexity of these decisions while we try to balance all the very real and God-given relational and spiritual needs we all have. It’s just not easy.
With all this mind, we are looking intently at what that decision point means for our community groups and how we do ministry and work in the community over the next few months.
And, beyond of all of this, I am confident of this very thing: that He who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it. I know, and can feel, that God is doing something great in us and preparing us for greater things which lie ahead.
That is not only the consistent truth that His Word tells us, but that is the consistent testimony that His heart has shown us here at Mosaic!
Here’s my request of you:
- Please pray for the health and safety of all those at Mosaic.
- Please continue to tune in each week to stay connected and be encouraged in your faith.
- Maybe most of all, I’m asking this. Would you, once you finish reading this, pick up your phone (if you’re not already holding it), think about someone from Mosaic you miss seeing, and just reach out to them right now, if you have their contact info?
If you don’t have their phone number or email, maybe you could track those down somehow, or find them online and drop a message. Imagine, right now, if we had thousands of messages of hope and personal encouragement going out?
People need this, you need this, more than you know! So check on that friend, check in with that neighbor, and let’s encourage one another!
Much love,
Morgan