August 2021 Forum

DON’T BE IN A HURRY TO EMULATE MISSOURI

The state of Missouri is just down the road. You can see it from atop the church steeple. Missouri is stricken by a completely preventable public health crisis. There are counties in Missouri with very low covid vaccination rates and very high positivity rates consisting of the spread of the new Delta variant of Covid-19. Hospitals are overflowing. Victims are sicker and younger than during the height of the pandemic. Health care professionals are overwhelmed.

Please get your shot if you are medically able to. According to ALL the scientific evidence, the vaccine is safe and effective. The potential impact of the disease is vastly worse than the side effects and negligible risks of the shot. Any “information’ to the contrary is incorrect, misinformed, or deliberately misleading.

Right now, this moment, is the time to get your children aged 12-18 vaccinated. It takes 5 weeks for the 2-shot vaccines to be effective (3 weeks between doses and another 2 weeks for effectiveness to build.) School is starting up again. If children are not either masked or vaccinated (or both) the Delta variant could have a field day spreading among unvaccinated families. We’ll be right back to where we started. People will suffer. Some could die.

Jesus taught people, fed hungry people, and healed the sick. Public health was on Jesus’ radar screen. This is not a republican or democratic issue, not a right-left issue, not a culture wars issue. This is an issue of compassion for the vulnerable ones among us. Jesus would certainly advocate for keeping our children and families safe.

Get a shot so we can see you again in school and church!

Speaking truth in love,

Pastor Bob