ARE SIX THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED NINETY-ONE PEOPLE WO HAVE DIED.
OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH THOSE WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES WHO ARE FIGHTING THIS CRUEL VIOLENT VIRUS, AND WE KNOW THEIR HEARTS ARE HEAVY DURING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
TODAY AN UPDATE TO OUR COUNTY ALERT MAP REINFORCES WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW COVID-19 IS SPREADING RAPIDLY THROUGH OUR STATE.
AS OF TODAY SIXTY FIVE COUNTIES ARE DESIGNATED AS RED WHICH MEANS CRITICAL COMMUNITY SPREAD AND 27 COUNTIES ARE LABELLED ORANGE, WHICH MEANS SUBSTANTIAL COMMUNITY SPREAD.
THIS IS ALARMING 92 OF OUR 100 COUNTIES ARE DESIGNATED RED OR ORANGE.
IN THE LAST WEEK.
WE SAW A DAILY CASE RECORD OF EIGHT THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED FORTY-FOUR WITH THE PERCENT OF TEST POSITIVE COMING BACK 10% THIS VIRUS CONTINUES TO SPREAD QUICKLY.
DON’T GET NUMB TO THESE NUMBERS.
THEY HAVE PLATEAUED A BIT OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS, BUT THEY ARE TOO HIGH.
WE HAVE STRONG SAFETY PROTOCOLS IN PLACE RIGHT NOW, AND WE HAVE TO KEEP FOLLOWING THEM.
I WANT TO THANK LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT WHO ARE HELPING TO ENFORCE THEM.
OUR COMMUNITIES ARE SAFER FOR IT AND YOUR EFFORTS WILL SAVE LIVES.
I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THOSE COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE SEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHOT AND KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY IN THESE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS.
IT IS SENSELESS AND APPALLING.
VIOLENCE CAN NEVER BE TOLERATED INCLUDING AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND OUR HEARTS ARE WITH YOU AND THOSE FAMILIES.
CALLS TO THOSE FAMILIES ARE SOME OF THE HARDEST CALLS THAT I MAKE IN MY PRAYERS ARE WITH THEM AND THOSE ENTIRE COMMUNITIES.
SO LAST WEEK MARKED THE FIRST DISTRIBUTION OF THE PFIZER VACCINE 253 OF OUR HOSPITALS.
THIS WEEK.
WE’LL CONTINUE DISTRIBUTING THE PFIZER VACCINE AND BEGIN DISTRIBUTING THE MODERNA VACCINE AS WELL, WHICH IS SLATED TO GO TO 59 HOSPITALS AND 97 LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT SITES.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TELLS US HOW MANY DOSES TO EXPECT EACH WEEK AND THEN THE STATE DECIDES WHERE TO SEND THEM.
WE EXPECT ABOUT SIXTY THOUSAND DOSES OF PFIZER VACCINE THIS WEEK AND A HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX THOUSAND OF THE MODERNA VACCINE.
I’VE WITNESSED FIRSTHAND SOME OF OUR FRONTLINE HEALTHCARE WORKERS RECEIVING THE FIRST DOSES OF THE VACCINE AND DR. COHEN AND I WERE TOLD YESTERDAY AT DUKE HEALTH THAT THE MOST COMMON SIDE EFFECT
OF THE VACCINE.
THEY IS JOY.
JOY, THAT IS A GOOD KIND OF CONTAGIOUS.
I WAS SO GLAD TO SEE THIS BECAUSE OUR FRONTLINE HEALTHCARE WORKERS HAVE HAD A TOUGH TIME DEALING WITH THIS PAINFUL LONELY SLOW DEATH AND DESTRUTION CAUSED BY THIS VIRUS.
UNTIL THIS VACCINE GETS ENOUGH PEOPLE IMMUNIZED WE OWE IT TO THOSE HEALTH CARE WORKERS TO DOUBLE DOWN ON OUR PREVENTION EFFORTS LIKE WEARING A MASK.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THEIR HEROIC EFFORTS SPENDING ALL DAY ON THEIR FEET IN FULL PROTECTIVE GEAR RUSHING FROM ONE ILL COVID PATIENT TO THE OTHER.
IT DOESN’T FEEL SO HARD TO SIMPLY WEAR A MASK AT THE GROCERY STORE OR WHEN WE ARE WITH PEOPLE.
WE DON’T LIVE WITH.
COME ON, GUYS, WE CAN DO THIS.
FINALLY, I WANT TO WARN ABOUT SCAMS THAT WE ARE SEEING RELATED TO THE VACCINE.
DON’T FALL FOR CROOKS CALLING OR EMAILING YOU AN OFFERING A PLACE ON A VACCINE WAITING LIST.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING.
THEY’RE EITHER TRYING TO STEAL YOUR MONEY YOUR IDENTITY OR BOTH.
THE STATE HAS AN ACTION PLAN TO DISTRIBUTE THE VACCINE EFFECTIVELY AND IT DOES NOT INVOLVE CALLING YOU AND ASKING FOR YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION OR YOUR MONEY.
I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE.
DR. ME ANDY COHEN OUR SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FOR AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE NORTH CAROLINA, DR. COHEN.
GOOD AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU GOVERNOR.
WE ARE AT A MOMENT IN THIS PANDEMIC OF INCREDIBLE HIGHS AND UNFORTUNATE PAINFUL LOWS AS THE GOVERNOR MENTIONED HE AND I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WATCHING AS OUR FRONTLINE HEALTHCARE WORKERS WHO
HAVE BEEN CARING FOR COVID PATIENTS RECEIVE SOME OF THE FIRST VACCINES IN THE STATE.
YOU COULD SEE THE RELIEF ON THEIR FACES WHEN THEY ROLLED UP THEIR SLEEVES.
IT WAS GRATIFYING TO SEE THESE HROES WHO ARE COURAGEOUSLY SHOWING UP EVERY DAY TO CARE FOR OTHERS GET CARED FOR THEMSELVES.
WE WITNESSED THE PROMISE OF BETTER DAYS AHEAD.
UNFORTUNATELY THOSE DAYS ARE NOT YET HERE.
AND THE LOWS OF THIS PAST WEEK HAVE BEEN PAINFUL THE NUMBER OF NORTH CAROLINIANS WHO HAVE DIED FROM THIS PANDEMIC SURPASSED 6000.
RECORD NUMBERS OF PEOPLE IN OUR STATE ARE BECOMING SICK ENOUGH TO NEED TO BE IN THE HOSPITAL AND RECORD NUMBERS ARE IN OUR INTENSIVE CARE UNITS AND AS YOU’LL SEE FROM THE DATA FROM
OUR COVID-19 COUNTY ALERT SYSTEM ALL BUT EIGHT COUNTIES ARE RED OR ORANGE.
LET’S WALK THROUGH THAT REPORT RIGHT NOW AS A REMINDER THE COVID-19 COUNTY ALERT SYSTEM USES A COMBINATION OF THREE METRICS TO CATEGORIZE COUNTIES.
CASE RATES PER A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE OVER 14 DAYS PERCENT OF TESTS THAT ARE POSITIVE AND A HOSPITAL IMPACT SCORE.
USING THESE METRICS WE CATEGORIZE COUNTIES INTO THREE COLOR TEARS TO DESCRIBE THE LEVEL OF VIRAL SPREAD AND HEALTHCARE IMPACT RED REPRESENTS CRITICAL ORANGE SUBSTANTIAL
YELLOW SIGNIFICANT THIS SLIDE SHOWS AN UPDATED COUNTY ALERT MAP.
WE NOW HAVE SIXTY FIVE COUNTIES IN THE RED AT CRITICAL LEVELS OF VIRAL SPREAD AND OUR LAST REPORT JUST TWO WEEKS AGO FORTY EIGHT COUNTIES WERE IN THE RED.
IN ADDITION, THERE ARE ANOTHER 27 COUNTIES THAT ARE NOW ORANGE WITH SUBSTANTIAL LEVELS OF VIRAL SPREAD.
THAT MEANS OVER 90% OF COUNTIES IN NORTH CAROLINA ARE RED AND ORANGE WITH THE REMAINING EIGHT IN YELLOW STILL HAVING SIGNIFICANT VIRAL SPREAD IF YOU ARE IN A RED OR ORANGE COUNTY,
YOU SHOULD LIMIT GOING OUT TO ESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES AND AVOID PEOPLE THAT YOU DON’T LIVE WITH ON THIS SLIDE YOU CAN SEE HOW QUICKLY THINGS CAN ESCALATE THAT FIRST MAP AT THE TOP IS FROM
JUST ONE MONTH AGO.
THERE WAS A LOT MORE YELLOW THAN AND REMEMBER YELLOW STILL MEANS SIGNIFICANT VIRAL SPREAD AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE MAP ON THE BOTTOM.
OUR STATE IS NOW MOSTLY RED.
AS I SAID AT THE OUTSET IT’S A TIME OF MIXED EMOTIONS.
I REMAIN VERY WORRIED AND AT THE SAME TIME I’M FULL OF HOPE HOPE BECAUSE WE HAVE SCENES THAT ARE 95% EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING COVID-19.
THEY WERE BUILT ON YEARS OF WORK TO TO DEVELOP VACCINES FOR SIMILAR VIRUSES.
MORE THAN 70,000 PEOPLE VOLUNTEERED TO BE IN CLINICAL TRIALS THAT ULTIMATELY SHOWED THESE VACCINES ARE SAFE AND WORK.
AND AS OF EARLY THIS MORNING MORE THAN 24,000 HEALTH CARE WORKERS CARING FOR COVID-19 PATIENTS HAVE RECEIVED THE FIRST OF THE VACCINE.
DATA IS NOW AVAILABLE ON OUR COVID-19 DASHBOARD.
YOU CAN SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN VACCINATED STATEWIDE AND BY COUNTY OF RESIDENCE AS WELL AS DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SUCH AS AGE AGE GENDER RACE AND ETHNICITY.
SUPPLIES OF VACCINE ARE VERY LIMITED FOR NOW.
IT WILL TAKE MANY MANY MONTHS TO VACCINATE EVERYONE WHO WANTS IT UNTIL THEN.
I DON’T WANT TO LOSE ANY MORE NORTH CAROLINIANS TO THIS PANDEMIC.
TOGETHER WE CAN KEEP PEOPLE FROM GETTING SICK SAVE LIVES AND MAKE SURE OUR HOSPITALS CAN CARE FOR PEOPLE WHETHER IT’S FOR A HEART ATTACK OR A CAR ACCIDENT OR FOR COVID-19 KEEP WEARING A MASK
WAITING APART AND WASHING YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY.
AS YOU THINK ABOUT THE UPCOMING CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S HOLIDAYS, PLEASE AVOID TRAVELING AND GATHERING.
IF YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST GET TESTED AHEAD OF TIME WEAR A MASK ALL THE TIME.
KEEP IT SMALL AND KEEP IT OUTDOORS.
I’M GRATEFUL TO THE FAITH LEADERS HERE WITH US TODAY WHO ARE DOING ALL THEY CAN TO PROTECT THEIR COMMUNITIES AND FINDING NEW WAYS TO JOIN TOGETHER IN PRAYER AND
FELLOWSHIP TODAY.
MY REASON IS HOPE WHATEVER YOUR REASON GET BEHIND THE MASK.
THANK YOU, GOVERNOR.
THANK YOU.
DR. KOH AND YU AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE COUNTY MAP WE ARE CONCERNED.
NORTH CAROLINA NEEDS TO DRIVE DOWN OUR NUMBERS.
TO DO THAT WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR HOLIDAY PLANS IF WE HAVEN’T ALREADY THE BEST AND SAFEST OPTION IS TO CONNECT VIRTUALLY OR BY PHONE.
BUT IF YOU GATHER IN PERSON KEEP IT SMALL AND OUTSIDE IF YOU CAN.
GET A COVID-19 TEST BEFORE YOU GO.
SPREAD OUT THE TABLES AND THE CHAIRS FOLLOW THE MODIFIED STAY-AT-HOME ORDER AND BE HOME BY 10:00 P.M. AND IS ALWAYS ALWAYS WEAR A MASK.
IT’S EASY TO LET OUR GUARDS DOWN WHEN WE’RE WITH A FAMILY.
BUT NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU TRUST AND LOVE SOMEONE IF THEY DON’T ALREADY LIVE WITH YOU KEEP WEARING A MASK.
DECEMBER IS A BUSY TIME FOR OUR CHURCHES AND OTHER HOUSES OF WORSHIP AND MANY OF THEM HAVE FOUND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS AND OTHER HOLIDAYS SAFELY THROUGH
WORSHIPPING REMOTELY THIS YEAR TODAY.
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE TWO FAITH LEADERS WHO ARE WITH US.
PASTOR JOSEPH CASTILLO A FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IN ROANOKE RAPIDS REVEREND JAMES WHITE OF CHRIST OUR KING COMMUNITY CHURCH IN RALEIGH THEY’RE HERE TO SHARE SOME OF
THE STEPS THAT THEIR CONGREGATIONS ARE TAKING TO WORSHIP SAFELY OVER THE HOLIDAYS.
I RECOGNIZE PASTOR AGAINST STEEL FIRST THEN REVEREND WHITE PASTOR CASTILLO.
I AM JOE CASTILLO PASTOR OF FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IN ROANOKE RAPIDS.
AND I WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO GOVERNOR COOPER AND DR. COHEN.
ALONG WITH A LONG LIST OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY IN OUR LOCAL AND STATE DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
THROUGH THESE MONTHS OF PANDEMIC THEY HAVE BEEN A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE THE FAITH LEADERS ACROSS OUR STATE.
THEY HAVE GIVEN US EXCELLENT GUIDANCE AS WE HAVE ENDEAVORED TO NAVIGATE THE TURBULENT AND UNCERTAIN WATERS.
THESE WATERS HAVE BROUGHT GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT TO MANY OF THOSE WE SERVE.
WHILE SOME HAVE BEEN VERY ANXIOUS TO GO BACK TO THE WAY THINGS WERE.
MANY OTHERS ARE FINDING COMFORT IN THE MEASURES THAT WE HAVE TAKEN SO OFFER DIFFERENT AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
SINCE MARCH MY CONGREGATION HAS ONLY OFFERED VIRTUAL WORSHIP.
ON THURSDAY NIGHT CHRISTMAS EVE HE WILL BE WORSHIPING VIRTUALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR CHURCH’S HISTORY.
I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT IT.
THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO REMAIN IN YOUR HOME SAFELY.
AN OPPORTUNITY NOT TO PUT ANYONE ELSE AT RISK.
AND THE FREEDOM FOR YOU TO CHOOSE THE TIME THAT YOU VIEW THAT MEANINGFUL WORSHIP EXPERIENCE.
OUR SERVICE IS GOING TO GO OUT AT 5 O’CLOCK, BUT YOU CAN WATCH IT LATER THAN THAT.
AND THERE’S ANOTHER PERK YOU CAN FAST-FORWARD THROUGH THE PASTURE SERMON.
SO HOW COOL IS THAT?
IT’S A WIN-WIN FOR ALL OF US.
THIS HOLIDAY SEASON IS GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT TIME AND IS FOR MANY.
MY PHONE IS RINGING MORE FREQUENTLY WITH PERSONS WHO ARE STRUGGLING THESE STRUGGLES ARE REAL.
THEY NEED SOMEONE TO HEAR THEM TO OFFER THEM.
HOPE TO ASSIST THEM IN FINDING A WAY FORWARD THROUGH RESILIENCE SUPPORTS THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HAS ESTABLISHED TO MENTAL HEALTH HOT LINES THAT ARE AVAILABLE 24/7 IN
ALL COUNTIES OF OUR STATE.
THE FIRST ONE IS HOPE FOR NC HELPLINE.
AND THE NUMBER FOR THAT IS EIGHT FIVE FIVE FIVE EIGHT SEVEN THREE FOUR SIX THREE, LET ME GIVE THAT TO YOU AGAIN.
EIGHT FIVE 5 5 8 7 3463 IT’S A PLACE IN WHICH YOU CAN TURN IN YOUR TIME OF CRISIS.
THE SECOND ONE IS HOPE FOR HEALERS.
THE NUMBER IS NINE ONE.
9 2 TO 6 2002 ONCE MORE 9 1 9 2002 IT IS A PLACE FOR FRONTLINE WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS FIRST RESPONDERS AND OTHER STAFF WHO WORK IN HEALTHCARE SETTINGS AND
ASSIST THEY CAN ASSIST THEM AND HELP THEM.
AND NEEDS UNIQUE TO THEIR EXPERIENCES AS A FAITH LEADER.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE RESOURCES WITHIN YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.
ALSO, ENCOURAGE FAITH LEADERS, AD MY COLLEAGUES TO BE AWARE OF THE HELP THAT IS AVAILABLE AS WE WORK TOGETHER STAYING BEHIND THE MASK WASHING OUR HANDS SOCIAL DISTANCING AND STAYING HOME
WHENEVER POSSIBLE.
IT IS A WAY TO PROVIDE A SAFER TODAY.
AND A BRIGHT TOMORROW.
THANK YOU.
GOVERNOR.
WE CAN DO THIS AND WE ARE.
IT WAS MAYA ANGELOU WHO SAID YOU MAY NOT CONTROL ALL THE EVENTS THAT HAPPEN TO YOU, BUT YOU CAN DECIDE NOT TO BE REDUCED BY THEM.
THIS QUOTE IS BEAUTIFUL AND YET IT’S BEEN A BURDEN.
IT’S BEEN A BURDEN FOR US NOT TO BE REDUCED BY THE CHALLENGES OF THESE LAST 10 MONTHS AS A CHURCH.
WE’VE BEEN MEETING VIRTUALLY FOR 10 MONTHS AND WE PLAN TO CONTINUE THAT JOURNEY KNOWING THAT GOD IS NOT LIMITED TO OR DEFINED BY PHYSICAL SPACE.
NO ONE WOULD HAVE IMAGINED THAT THE CELEBRATION OF THIS YEAR’S CHRISTMAS SEASON WOULD BE MARKED BY LIMITATIONS.
NONE OF US CAN IMAGINE THAT MORE THAN 6,200 PEOPLE WOULD DIE THERE.
ENDS OF COVID-19 THAT IT WILL BE OVER FOUR HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THOUSAND TOTAL CASES CAROLINA.
THE PERSONAL ECONOMIC LOSS HAS BEEN DEVASTATING AND SOME OF US CANNOT EVEN COMPLETE THE FAMOUS WORDS OF CHARLES DICKENS THAT ARE THAT.
THESE ARE THE BEST OF TIMES AND THE WORST OF TIMES KNOW THESE HAVE BEEN THE MOST DIFFICULT TIMES THAT MANY OF US HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED COLLECTIVELY PASTORS AND RABBIS AND OTHER FAITH
LEADERS ARE OFTEN EXPECTED TO HAVE WORDS OF HOPE.
MAYBE WE’RE ALL APPROPRIATELY LOST FOR WORDS BECAUSE WHAT IS MOST NEEDED ARE AND THEN PERSPECTIVES THAT WILL LEAD TO LIFE NOW AND IN THE FUTURE, PERHAPS WE ALL NEED TO FIGURE
OUT HOW TO CREATE CELEBRATIONS IN THE MIDST OF LIMITATION.
THIS IS NOT AS IMPOSSIBLE AS IT MAY SOUND BECAUSE WE HAVE NEIGHBORS WHOSE LIVES WERE DEVASTATED BY SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES LONG BEFORE COVID-19 ONLY TO FIND THAT IN THIS TIME
THE GAP TO LIFE IS THE CREATOR INTENDED IS NOW EVEN WIDER.
MANY OF US WE STILL FEEL THOUGH THIS UNKNOWN EXPERIENCE THAT WE’VE NEVER FELT BEFORE LIMITATIONS LIMITATIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN AWAY THE EXPECTED FREEDOM OF CHRISTMAS.
MAYBE WE ALL NEED TO REMEMBER THAT SOMETIMES ARE INTENTIONALLY FORGOTTEN HISTORY OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE FORCE LIMITATIONS SLAVES WHO DIDN’T HAVE THEIR LIMITATIONS CHANGED
DURING THIS SEASON AND EVEN JIM CROW LAWS THAT HAVE CREATED CULTURAL AND SOCIETAL LIMITATIONS.
THEY WE STILL EXPERIENCE TODAY AND YET WHEN WE LOOK BACK WE SEE THAT EVEN WITH THOSE TRAGIC LIMITATIONS PEOPLE WERE STILL ABLE TO HAVE TRIUMPHANT CELEBRATIONS.
WELL NOW WE HAVE LIMITATIONS THAT CAN LEAD.
TO LIFE LATER, MAYBE THE FREEDOM TO DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS NOT FREEDOM AT ALL.
WE CAN DISCOVER TOGETHER THE FREEDOM TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
CELEBRATION IN THE MIDST OF LIMITATIONS IRONICALLY IS THE PARADOXICAL STORY OF THIS SEASON.
GOD PUTS ON FLESH MAKES AN APPEARANCE IN THE LIMITED WOMB OF AN UNWED VIRGIN.
AN OLIVE SKIN MIDDLE EAST AND CHILD BORN IN THE FEEDING TROUGH ON THE RUN FROM FOR THE FROM THE OPPRESSIVE ROMAN GOVERNMENT.
TALK ABOUT LIMITATIONS.
HOWEVER, 700 YEARS EARLIER ISAIAH WOULD REMIND US FOR TO US A CHILD IS BORN TO US A SON IS GIVEN AND THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE ON HIS SHOULDERS AND HE WILL BE CALLED WONDERFUL COUNSELOR.
MIGHTY GOD EVERLASTING FATHER IN PRINCE OF PEACE NO, WE CANNOT CONTROL WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO US, BUT WE DON’T HAVE TO BE REDUCED BY WHAT HAS HAPPENED.
HE MAY WE TOGETHER LEAD OTHERS TO HAVE A CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION IN THE MIDST OF OUR NEEDED LIMITATIONS.
AND I’M THANKFUL FOR GOVERNOR COOPER AND HIS TEAM LEADING US WELL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH PASTOR CASTILLO AND REVEREND WHITE.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.
AND I HOPE THAT MANY CONGREGATIONS WILL FOLLOW YOUR LEAD TO KEEP THEIR FAMILIES SAFE THIS YEAR.
I KNOW THAT I HAVE BEEN WORSHIPPING VIRTUALLY, BUT I DO MISS MY TIME IN THE PEW AND IF WE KEEP WORKING HARD WE CAN GET BACK.
FOR THIS CHRISTMAS IN PARTICULAR IT’S ALWAYS BEEN THE CHRISTMAS ALWAYS HAS BEEN A TIME OF HOPE FOR ME A TIME TO REFLECT ON THE YEAR THAT HAS PASSED AND ALL THAT.
WE HAVE TO BE GRATEFUL FOR THIS YEAR WILL BE NO DIFFERENT.
DESPITE OR MAYBE EVEN BECAUSE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE’RE FACING.
THIS HAS BEEN A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER AND WHILE IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT AND PAINFUL NORTH CAROLINIANS HAVE RESPONDED WITH COMPASSION AND RESILIENCE AND COURAGE AT EVERY TURN.
AT THE END OF THIS UNPRECEDENTED YEAR.
LET’S RECOMMIT TO KEEPING OURSELVES IN EACH OTHER SAFE SO THAT WE CAN BE HER