The Epistle Summer Edition 2020

THE EPISTLE

OBSERVING THE QUARANTINE BISHOP JEFFREY N. LEATH - PRESIDING PRELATE REVEREND W.R.T. HALE – PRESIDING ELDER REVEREND DR. ROBERT A. STRODE - PASTOR REVEREND KENNETH E. PARIS REVEREND FONSECO FRAZIER – REVEREND BARRY FRAZIER REVEREND KELLY ROBERTS LICENTIATE MONICA LAMB EXHORTER SHELBY STRODE EXHORTER DORIS COFFEY – EDITOR

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Greetings, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ!

As always, Sister Strode and I are most elated for the opportunity to serve our loving church family, especially as we celebrate the Historic Saint Paul AME Church 200th Anniversary. The LORD has blessed us as a Church.

In our world today, we are experiencing a pandemic of Covid19, and the Violence of Black and Brown people, at the hands of police officers. Our present situation precipitates this message.

“Walk in the Spirit” Have you victory over known sin? (Galatians 5:16-22) “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

I do not ask if you are sinless—you cannot be that in this life. A domestic worker dusted a room in the early morning and did her best. At noon the owner of the house called her in and asked: “Did you dust this room today?”

“Yes, ma’m.”

“Well, look at all the dust!”

“Well, ma’am, the light was dim this morning, and it looks different in the sunlight!”

So, I am not asking if you are free from sin up to God’s standard, which includes sins of omission, as well as sins of commission; but are you kept from known sin up to the light God has given you? If you are being constantly overcome, you are not filled with the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is like an antiseptic to impure thoughts, and unclean desires, and things which are selfish and worldly and abominable. Christian life does not consist in avoiding this or that, but in being so saturated with something better that you have no desire for sinful things.

Some have only enough religion to make them miserable. When you are perfectly satisfied and filled, you are delivered from the power of sin. You will be kept full of Jesus and holy desires, and the epidemic of sin will have no fascination over you.

Jesus Christ is not a theory, but a living power in one’s life. You can be delivered from the claims of sin. Do you have victory over your flesh? If not, there are three steps necessary—confession, surrender, and faith.

Let us pray: God thank you for your strength through Jesus Christ—Amen Blessings, Pastor Robert A. Strode 2

WHAT IS THE CHURCH? The visible and local church is, of course, the physical churches that we see around us and around the world, as well as the members of those churches. The invisible and universal church, however, refers to all believers everywhere.

When most people hear the word church they probably think of a building. Maybe it is a fancy building or a simple building where believers gather. But biblically speaking, a church is much more than a building. In fact, some would say that the church is not a building at all, but is all about the people.

The early Christian church had no buildings, at least not in the sense of what we would consider church buildings today. First century Christians were often persecuted and, as a result, often met in secret usually in homes. As the influence of Christianity spread, eventually buildings dedicated to worship were established and became what we know today as churches. In this sense, then, the church consists of people not buildings. Fellowship, worship and ministry are all conducted by people, not buildings. Church structures facilitate the role of God’s people, but they do not fulfill it.

What Does the Church Do? The church is not a building, but a body of believers with a specific nature and purpose. These biblical roles or ministries of the church are foundational to it.

What are these roles? They are many, but key to any church are foundations in worship, edification and evangelism. Worship is God-centered and Christ-centered. It is not about entertaining Christians with flashy displays or presentations, but about expressing our love by worshiping our Creator. We are to praise and glorify God in worship. As such, every Christian needs to be part of regular fellowship and worship. Edification is also a role of the church. It involves edifying believers, but also nurturing, building up or helping believers to mature in Christ. To this end, churches are tasked with a variety of ministries such as Bible study, continuing education in related areas, praying for one another, acts of genuine hospitality and more. Evangelism is also a key role of the church. This means reaching out to a lost world with the Good News about Jesus.

But beyond evangelism in the sense of reaching out with the gospel, the church must also express compassion and mercy tangibly by helping others.

In following Christ’s example to love others, the church, too, must seek to make a real difference in the world while not neglecting to share the message of Christ. If a church fails to fulfill any of these key roles – worship, edification, evangelism – then the church is not functioning as God

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intends. Granted, there are times when churches face challenges and struggles to one degree or another, but a healthy church seeks to overcome such challenges in a way that honors God and His intentions for His church.

There are many images of the church in the Bible, but we will mention just three: the church as the Body of Christ, the People of God and the Bride of Christ. Christ is the head of the church (Ephesians 1:10; 4:15) and Christians are the body. “People of God” is another image of the church. God says of the church, “I will be their God, and they will be my people” (2 Corinthians 6:16; Hebrews 8:10 NIV). The church is also referred to as the Bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:32; Revelation 19:7; 21:9), suggestive of a special and sacred family relationship between Christ and the church.

Making an Eternal Difference - The Christian church is not a building, but a body of believers united in Christ. Its role is to worship God, nurture and edify and reach out to a suffering world with the saving message of the gospel as well as the practical compassion and mercy exemplified in Christ. The Church is a group of people. It is not a denomination; it is everyone who has received the Holy Spirit. And it doesn't grant salvation; it is people, loving and glorifying God and teaching others about a saving knowledge of Christ. Christ is the head of the church, and the church is the body of Christ The Church may be called the Body of Christ because of these facts: 1) Members of the Body of Christ are joined to Christ in salvation (Ephesians 4:15-16).

2) Members of the Body of Christ follow Christ as their Head (Ephesians 1:22-23).

3) Members of the Body of Christ are the physical representation of Christ in this world. The Church is the organism through which Christ manifests His life to the world today.

4) Members of the Body of Christ are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9).

5) Members of the Body of Christ possess a diversity of gifts suited to particular functions (1 Corinthians 12:4-31). “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ” (verse 12).

6) Members of the Body of Christ share a common bond with all other Christians, regardless of background, race, or ministry. “There should be no division in the body, but . . . its parts should have equal concern for each other” (1 Corinthians 12:25).

7) Members of the Body of Christ are secure in their salvation (John 10:28-30). For a Christian to lose his salvation, God would have to perform an “amputation” on the Body of Christ!

8) Members of the Body of Christ partake of Christ’s death and resurrection (Colossians 2:12).

9) Members of the Body of Christ share Christ’s inheritance (Romans 8:17).

10) Members of the Body of Christ receive the gift of Christ’s righteousness (Romans 5:17)

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3 Godly Attitudes Every Christian Needs A Godly attitude tells the world how we respond to what life gives us, and as we all know, life isn’t always easy. In Ecclesiastes, we hear the preacher tell us that we can be “too righteous” and “too wise.” A Christian life is about more than being a good person and more than being rewarded for good deeds and attitude. It’s easy to be frustrated when we’re seemingly boasting a smiling face and God isn’t delivering good things in return, but that’s not how biblical attitude works.

Faithful Attitude - Many of us want to be bold for Christ. We want to tell of his joys and his power, but we find it harder to be bold when we’re faced with a tough situation. However, a tough situation is a call for boldness. We are called to be bold in the face of uncertainty and trials, so that others will see our boldness and wonder where that comes from, and we can tell them: God. It’s so easy to give up in a hard stage of life and to think that God has forgotten you.

Instead, let us be faithful through the hard stages and faithful for others who are facing tough circumstances.

Supportive Attitude - As a community of believers, our job is to lift up our brothers and sisters.

Practically, this means comforting our friends and family when they need it and serving them when they need it. Let us have servant hearts that help others, rather than sitting back and deciding to let “someone else” help. Biblically encouraging others means much more than a positive wish for them. It means you are investing in their lives. We have a choice to support our friends and family with a biblical attitude or forget their needs. It could be as easy as checking in with a quick phone call or text just to let them know that you are supporting them.

Patient Attitude - In times of trial, it’s hard to be patient and wait for an answer from God. We want him to sweep in and give us a miracle or a better outlook on life. We want a reward for the good things we’ve done in the past. We want a change immediately. But God has perfect timing, and we need to trust in his plan. Let us pray for a patient attitude when we feel we’ve been waiting on God a long time. We must remember that God has not stopped loving us or forgotten us. God doesn’t need us to be patient so we can learn to be “better people;” He wants us to have an attitude of patience because it reflects a dependence on him.

The Wrong Attitude - The Bible tells us there is a wide range of attitudes that are sinful: jealousy, lust, anger, to name a few, but the point is not trying to avoid those attitudes.

Christianity is not about “do not’s” on a list. The point is that we prayerfully respond to situations in life and ask our community to pray for us as well.

A Godly attitude doesn’t come because you decide to smile harder. A Godly attitude comes because you decide to follow God. You get to have bad days, but, as Christians, we get to have the hope of a better one.

As Christians, we’re called to view our lives through a lens of faith, and in return, we are meant to show the world an attitude that boasts of Jesus. We’re not called to be perfect beams of sunshine all the time. Life is tough, and our response to that is what draws us closer to Christ.

Through prayer and spending time with him, we can change our attitudes.

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S U N D A Y M O R N I N G W O R S H I P @1 1 :0 0 AM WEEKLY TEACHING MOMENTS WEDNESDAY NOONDAY BIBLE STUDY WITH PASTOR ROBERT A. STRODE @ 12:00 N – 1:00 PM WEDNESDAY EVENING: PASTOR’S BIBLE STUDY WITH PASTOR ROBERT A. STRODE @ 6:00 PM Zoom meeting information for the Bible Study: Meeting ID: 881 5939 5611 -- no passwords are required

CHURCH CONFERENCE, STANDARD BOARD, ORGANIZATION, LEADERSHIP AND SPECIAL EMPHASIS MEETINGS WILL BE HELD AT SUCH TIME AS NOTIFIED BY PASTOR STRODE OR HIS DESIGNEE. SEE MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR DETAILS.

KNOW YOUR CHURCH Presented by The Lay Organization in collaboration with the Media & Public Relations (MPR) Team

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JULY 2020 SPECIAL EMPHASIS DAYS SATURDAY, JULY 4: INDEPENDENCE DAY 2020 IN UNITED STATES THURSDAY, JULY 30: WORLD FRIENDSHIP DAY / INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FRIENDSHIP

AUGUST 2020 SPECIAL EMPHASIS DAYS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12: INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2020: 67TH BIRTHDAY – PASTOR ROBERT A. STRODE

To God Be the Glory for the Great Things He Has Done…

Historic Saint Paul AME Church Celebrates 200 Years of Spiritual Leadership and Community Service in the Lexington Fayette County, Kentucky Community.

Join us on SUNDAY, AUGUST 23 @ 11:00 AM 200TH ANNIVERSARY SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE. HONORING OUR HISTORY

INVITED SPEAKER: THE RT. REV. JEFFREY N. LEATH, PRESIDING BISHOP, 13TH. EPISCOPAL DISTRICT. 7

Reserve your space in our Anniversary Souvenir Brochure

To God Be the Glory for the Great Things He Has Done‌ Historic Saint Paul AME Church is Celebrating 200 Years of Spiritual Leadership and Community Service in Lexington-Fayette County a KY Community.

We invite your participation in our ''200th Anniversary Souvenir Book" with a Tribute/ Memorial to a loved one, family members, friend or other; or Advertise your business or project.

Our 200th Anniversary Souvenir Book will serve as a wonderful keepsake to share with family and friends. It will be broadly distributed to our members and to organizations and residents of the community.

A percentage of proceeds will be donated to assist people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic

Full-Page H alf Page Quarter-page Business Card Patron (name only)

$50.00 $35.00 $20.00 $10.00 $5.00

The deadline for your 'Tribute, Memorial and/ or Ad, including photo ready logo; and photos, is Monday, August 10. 2020. Let us know if you need help putting together your Memorial/Tribute or ad.

Submit and pay for your Tribute/Memorial/Ad at https://www.spame.org/200campaign or Contact Tribute/Memorial/Ad Committee Chair: Sis .Janice Floyd or Anniversary Co-Chairs: Sis . Carolyn Jackson or Sis . Betty Morton Young

Register Now

Join us this summer for virtual #iCamp every Sunday, July- August, 2-3:30 pm CST. It is FREE and our target ages are 11-14. Register with the links below!

Sign up link: eventbrite.com/o/st-john-amechurch-19992922615 Parent Form: https://form.jotform.com/201745407809155 #IamAME

International Health Commission of the AME Church Greetings, Currently there is not a vaccine for COVID-19, however, wearing a mask, hand washing, social distancing, and making healthy choices are important daily practices.

Join us Saturday, July 18, 2020 for Faith in Action! Fight COVID-19 and Preexisting Preventable Diseases!

Learn about affordable and accessible Lifestyle Medicine and Food as Medicine from the experts.

Register for the free webinar on zoom by clicking on the webinar link below: https://amechealth.org/register

Bishop Harry Seawright, Commission Chair Reverend Natalie Mitchem, RDN, Executive Director Reverend Dr. Miriam Burnett, MD, Medical Director

Let's Learn Zoom is designed for participants of Zoom virtual meetings. The sessions will be available for clergy and laity.

Participants had the opportunity to learn the key features of Zoom in preparation for their annual meeting.

Let's Learn Zoom - Participants. https://forms.gle/jyaJUzWn7ieb1iWk7 Schedule July 16th, 2020 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm EST Repeated July 18th, 2020 10:00 am – 11:30 am EST July 18th, 2020 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm EST

Government Update

Circuit c ourt clerk s to c ontinue acc epti ng driver’s lic ens e r enew al applications r emotely thr oug h September 30, m otor vehicl e registr ation e

Commonwealth of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Andy Beshear, Governor FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jim Gray, Secretary Contact: Naitore Djigbenou 502-782-4829 Naitore.Djigbenou@ky.gov Chuck Wolfe 502-892-9038 Chuck.Wolfe@ky.gov

Gov. Beshear Updates Kentuckians on Changes to Driver’s License, Motor Vehicle Documentation Renewals and Expiration Circuit court clerks to continue accepting driver’s license renewal applications remotely through September 30, motor vehicle registration extension ends October 6 FRANKFORT, Ky. (July 2, 2020) – Gov. Andy Beshear today announced changes to a previously issued official order that temporarily granted a 90-day extension for select driver and motor vehicle documentation that expired while local and state government issuance offices were closed due to COVID-19.

Provisions under official orders authorizing circuit court clerks to accept driver’s license renewal applications remotely were also extended for an additional three months.

“This order clearly defines the end of the grace period for expired credentials and supports safe ways Kentuckians with looming expiration dates can maintain valid credentials and documentation that keep them on the move,” said Gov. Beshear.

“With the gradual reopening of government services, the original intentions of the 90-day extension have been fulfilled as more and more offices resume operations.”

Changes Impacting Driver’s Licenses, Permits and ID Cards •

Beginning July 7, 2020, Kentucky driver’s licenses, permits and IDs that expire on or after July 7, 2020 will no longer receive a 90-day renewal date extension and cardholders will be responsible for renewing their credential with their local circuit court clerk office in order for it to be considered valid. Cards with an expiration date between March 18 and July 6, 2020 are still under the March emergency order that automatically provides a 90-day extension to the card’s printed expiration date.

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During the period March 1, 2020 through September 30, 2020, any individual whose operator’s license, permit or identification card has expired, will expire, was lost or stolen may apply through a remote application process with the circuit court clerk in his/her county of residence based on each clerk’s preferred method (i.e. mail form, drop-off form). The applicant must not require any testing when requesting a card renewal or replacement. More information about the application process is available on the Administrative Office of the Courts website.

Changes Impacting Motor Vehicles and Vessels •

The grace period for all vehicle and vessel registrations or disabled parking placards administered by county clerks or the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will continue with no penalties charged through close of business on October 6, 2020. If a vehicle or vessel owner with expired registration does not renew by this date, they will be subject to late fees.

As a reminder, Kentuckians may renew registrations for vehicles, trailers and campers online at drive.ky.gov or by mail. Boats may be renewed in-person at county clerk offices or through the mail. Disabled parking placards must be renewed in-person.

County clerk offices serve as the application and issuance site for motor vehicle services. Kentuckians are encouraged to contact their local county clerk to learn when each office will resume in-person service. Visit this website to find your local county clerk office to confirm hours of operation.

Click here to view the new official orders.

KYTC Regional Driver Licensing Offices The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has Regional Driver Licensing Offices open in Frankfort, Morehead, Madisonville and Lexington to offer select in-person services for residents of any Kentucky county. Applicants may visit realidky.com to learn more about the services offered to schedule an appointment online. Walk-ins are welcome during office hours Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Regional Driver Licensing Offices are the only locations that offer REAL ID-compliant licenses, permits and ID cards.

More information Read about other key updates, actions and information from Gov. Beshear and his administration at governor.ky.gov, kycovid19.ky.gov and the Governor’s official social media accounts Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Kentuckians can also access translated COVID-19 information and daily summaries of the Governor’s news conference at tinyurl.com/kygovespanol (Spanish) and tinyurl.com/kygovtranslations (more than 20 additional languages). ###

F OCUS ON THE F IRST J ULY 2020, I SSUE 25

Mayor Appoints Commission on Racial Justice & Equality

James Brown 1st District Council Member

The current pandemic has exposed the lack of resources and inequities in healthcare for African-Americans. Even more, the past few months have exposed a real need for racial justice and equality in our current judicial, education and housing systems. People are demanding that we do better and in an effort to bring people to the table, Mayor Linda Gorton recently announced the appointment of 70 citizens to her newly named Commission for Racial Justice & Equality. The Commission’s goal is to find solutions that dismantle systemic racism in Fayette County.

The co-chairs she recently appointed, Roszalyn Akins and Dr. Gerald Mayor Linda Gorton Smith, helped Gorton name the commission, decide on the topics it will focus on, and choose the members from the many volunteers who were interested in serving. The diverse group that will serve on the Commission includes longstanding community leaders, as well as emerging leaders and grassroots advocates.

Legislative Aide:

“Thank you to everyone who has volunteered. I think we’ve got the right people focusing on areas where we need to make progress,” said Gorton, who has given the group a 60-day deadline to make its recommendations. “I understand change won’t happen overnight, but I am determined to make many improvements quickly, and to continue to make immediate changes as opportunities present themselves.”

The group has been divided into 5 subcommittees, each with an area of conRoszalyn Akins centration. Each sub-committee will set its own goals and objectives, guided by the overall mission to identify systemic and systematic practices of racism in Lexington; assess the historic marginalization of African Americans in this community; and recommend and advocate the systemic changes that will protect and promote racial opportunity, diversity, equity, and unity.

Tiffany A. Tatum

The subcommittees are;

Contact Information: 1st District Council Office 200 E. Main Street, 5th Floor Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 280-8238 (859) 258-3838 fax jbrown2@lexingtonky.gov

(859) 280-8254

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Racial Equity

(859) 258-3838 fax

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Education & Economic Opportunity

ttatum@lexingtonky.gov

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Health Disparities

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Law Enforcement, Justice and Accountability

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Housing & Gentrification

Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government

www.lexingtonky.gov

Each sub-committee also includes a councilmember. They are: Mark Dr. Gerald Smith Swanson, Racial Equity; Angela Evans, Education & Economic Opportunity; Kathy Plomin, Health Disparities; Jennifer Mossotti, Law Enforcement, Justice and Accountability; and James Brown, Housing & Gentrification.

The subcommittees will begin meeting next week. Meetings will be visible to the public live on YouTube. Through Aug. 14, the public can email questions or provide information or opinions at Racialjustice@lexingtonky.gov. For more information, there is a Commission for Racial Justice and Equality website.

U PCOMING E VENTS & O THER N EWS July Calendar

Return of Parks’ Amenities

7/3—LFUCG Closed for Independence Holiday (No Trash Collection) 7/4—Independence Day Fireworks, Downtown, 10 pm 7/6—Electronics Recycling Center Re-opens 7/7—Environmental Quality & Public Works Committee, 1 pm 7/7—Work Session, 3 pm 7/7—Council Meeting, 5 pm 7/9—Council Meeting, 6 pm 7/10-8/10—Council Summer Recess (No regular standing meetings) 7/11—Free Trash Disposal Day (Non-hazardous materials), 1505 Old Frankfort Pike, 6-1 pm 7/14—Special Planning & Public Safety Committee (tentative), 1 pm [All Council-related meetings will be held via teleconference and can be viewed live on LexTV on Spectrum channel 185, MetroNet channel 3, Windstream channels 3 & 20 or streaming on lexingtonky.gov.]

Saturday, July 4th, Lexington’s playgrounds will reopen for public use. Children should wear masks and are encouraged to keep their distance from other children.

The City’s four spraygrounds will reopen soon, although the mid-July date hasn’t been determined yet. The four spraygrounds will be Jacobson Park, Masterson Station Park, Douglass Park and Castlewood Park. Parent supervision is required and in order to ensure overcrowding, parents will need to reserve a block of time up to 1 hour and 45 minutes. More information on how to reserve time will be released as we get closer to the opening date.

Finally, individual outdoor basketball courts are also reopening on the Saturday. However, larger courts such as Douglass, Shillito and Constitution parks, will remain closed.

Summer Feeding Sites Fayette County Public Schools, God’s Pantry Food Bank, and Employment Solutions participate in the “Kids Eat” Summer Food Service Program, which provides free meals for all children age 18 and younger. Breakfast, lunch, and supper are available on a first-come, first-served basis at designated locations, dates, and times. The program is open to all children 18 and younger, regardless of what school they attend or where they live in Fayette County. Feeding sites within the 1st District are provided below. For a complete list of all Fayette County sites visit, Kids Eat 2020.

Additional Sites 

Monday & Wednesdays from 11-12:30 pm

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Brittany Square Apts, 534 Hollow Creek, Mondays 1:30-2:30 Caballo Run Apts, 522 Hollow Creek, Mondays 12-1

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Arlington, 122 Arceme Ave.

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Coolavin Apts, 551 W. Sixth, Mondays 1:30-2:30 Fox Run Apts, 1840 McCullough, Mondays 12-12:30

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Booker T. Washington, 707 Howard Street Mary Todd, 551 Parkside Drive

Fresh Approach, 1067 Whipple Court, Mondays 12-1

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Imperial Mobile Homes, 813 Newtown Pike, Mondays 1:30-2:30

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William Wells Brown, 555 E. Fifth Street

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Imperial Mobile Homes #2, 115 W. Loudon, Thursdays 1:30-2:30

Winburn, 1060 Winburn Drive

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Matador North Apts, 1053 Winburn, Mondays 12:45-1:15

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Winburn Neighborhood Center, 1169 Winburn, Mondays 1:30-2:30

COVID-19 Renter Help The COVID-19 Renter Help Program is a collaborative effort between over 20 public and private agencies in Lexington, working to help stop Covid-19 evictions before they happen.  What if I can’t pay my rent?  Do I still have to pay late fees?  Can my landlord lock me out?

This program can help answer your questions about tenant rights, give advice on how to communicate with your landlord, match you with available resources, and help you mediate long-term resolutions. Visit the website at www.Covid19renterhelp.org to complete an online intake form.

Legislative Update From Senator Reginald Thomas, 13th District Kentucky General Assembly Interim Session, June 2020 FRANKFORT— As COVID-19 remains in the forefront of our daily news and continues to affect our daily lives in so many ways it would be expected that the impact of this deadly coronavirus would also be the focus of the Interim Joint Committee meetings this month. Legislators continue to work diligently between legislative sessions by using these six months of joint committee meetings to hear concerns from state agencies, Kentucky businesses, statewide leaders, and citizens from every corner of the state to help guide new legislation to be taken up at the 2021 Regular Session of the General Assembly which will begin next January.

One issue facing each and every county statewide focuses on how we can effectively and safely reopen Kentucky for business, help our citizens recover from the hardships of COVID-19, and how we can begin the fast-approaching academic year successfully and safely. Legislators on the Interim Joint Committee (IJC) on Education listened intently as officials from the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) discussed plans, guidelines, and pertinent information to assist with our schools reopening in August. I agree wholeheartedly that Kentucky should not adopt a statewide policy of a “one size fits all” approach to reopening public schools. The KDE should allow each school district the flexibility of when and how to reopen in the fall. Fayette County schools are not like Pike County schools, and Clark County schools are very different from Woodford County schools. There must be different approaches.

The KDE continues to work closely with the Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) to provide the most accurate information, and to strengthen the preparedness and response efforts as the 2020-2021 school year fast approaches. It is certainly necessary for the KDE to provide some guidelines but we must recognize that there are a lot of conflicting interests. For example, class size guidelines that suggest students staying six feet apart impact classroom availability. While this will work in some settings, it is not feasible in other classroom settings. Additionally, it is not feasible to think that elementary students should wear masks all day. At the same time, there are many students who have family members who are medically compromised, and there could certainly be risk involved to send those children to school each day and then come home each afternoon to potentially expose someone in that household.

The KDE has created a COVID-19 webpage here that is updated every day to provide the most accurate information and provide a variety of resources for the schools, the students, and their families.

Since the earliest days of COVID-19, an unprecedented number of Kentucky’s workforce has claimed unemployment insurance benefits. The IJC on Economic Development and Workforce Investment were presented with an overview of the Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance (UI) by both Education and Workforce Development Cabinet officials as well as the Secretary of the Labor Cabinet. Both agencies have been hard at work trying to provide assistance to thousands of unemployed Kentuckians.

UI officials explained that in the early months of our current governor’s term –and please know that COVID19 hit Governor Andy Beshear’s third month in office— changes were in progress, but UI was in no position to handle the onslaught of cases. In the 90 days before COVID-19, UI reported a total of 44,841 new claims filed with 77% of eligible claims paid out. There was a total of $109,668,404 funds distributed and the balance of Kentucky’s UI Trust Fund was $583,063, 955. Compare those figures to what the UI office looks like from March 8 – June 6, 2020: 931, 807 new claims filed, 91.6 % of eligible claims paid out, nearly 8.5 million calls received, $2,405,804,385 in UI funds distributed, and the balance of the KY UI Trust Fund is $150,716,318 and a $1,304, 342,415 balance remaining in the Federal UI Trust Fund.

During the previous administration several drastic changes affected UI in terms of staffing and technology: •

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A hiring freeze resulted in an 18% decrease in field personnel and a 25% decrease in office personnel; Zero staff members were dedicated in in-person unemployment services at the various Career Centers across the state; Only 25 employees in the Adjudications Branch were experienced and could authorize adjudicate UI claims; Technology upgrades were overdue by several years; The UI system was coded in 1970s COBOL—a common businessoriented computer language; Plans for a new system were released in early 2020—just before COVID-19.

Kentucky’s UI office has added three new programs in addition to the traditional unemployment programs: Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), and Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (PUC). These new programs expanded eligibility to non-traditional workers including substitute teachers, independent contractors, and the self-employed. UI also expanded its benefits an additional 13 weeks.

In an effort to address the millions calling in with questions and errors, Gov. Beshear opened up in-person services on the Capitol campus. Many of those in line were helped with their claims in a matter of minutes. However, the need for more help still existed. Beginning this week, Gov. Beshear has opened up in-person services and the ability to make an appointment online in Frankfort, the Ashland area, and Owensboro. Plans are currently underway to expand to more areas in Kentucky. For more information and to schedule an appointment go to KCC.KY.GOV .

In other business: • Program Review and Investigations Committee: Workers providing private childcare services told lawmakers about the struggles they are experiencing because they had to completely shut down as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and some of the frustrations

the centers are facing as they plan to reopen. In order to keep our children safe from the spread of this deadly virus, Governor Beshear ordered most childcare centers temporarily closed. Only those catering to frontline workers responding to the pandemic have remained open throughout this health crisis—but with restrictions and guidelines to keep employees and children safe. Similar safety restrictions were put into place as the childcare facilities across the state begin to reopen this month. Some of the issues include dropping enrollment during the typically busy summer months, keeping class sizes to less than 10 children, and needing increased staffing. Our childcare centers are an important component in early childhood education, but reopening these facilities can only be successful if safe health practices and guidelines are strictly followed.

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Administrative Regulations Review Subcommittee: Representatives from the Thoroughbred racing industry attended the subcommittee hearing to support new administrative regulations affecting the industry which include regulations to establish a new Kentucky Harness Association (KHA.) The new regulations passed the Horse Racing Commission in an eight to zero vote. The new KHA would serve on the Sire Stakes Panel and would have the authority to enter into contract with racing associations in Kentucky. The primary goal of this change is to foster improvements in the Standardbred industry, which has seen significant decline in recent years.

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IJC on Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations: Legislators heard that change may be on the horizon that will offer a unique bourbon experience for tourists traveling along Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail. The retail package sale of alcoholic beverages could expand to allow businesses other than traditional liquor stores, such as microbreweries, hotels, and restaurants, to sell alcohol by the bottle.

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IJC on Natural Resources and Energy: Committee members discussed the COVID-19 implications for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) enforcement and compliance assurance program. A temporary policy is in place, retroactive to March 13, 2020, regarding suspension of enforcement of environmental obligations where noncompliance occurs due to the COVID-19 pandemic therefore allowing states, like Kentucky, to take a different approach. Notification should be made to the appropriate regulatory program and documentation of noncompliance and actions to return to compliance must be submitted to the agency as well as maintained onsite.

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IJC on Tourism, Small Business, and Information Technology: Members of the Kentucky Retail Federation (KRF), representing traditional retail outlets such as grocery stores, restaurants, pharmacies, and agribusiness stores, explained to committee members how the KRF is navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic. The business community was not prepared for managing the closures, health concerns, product shortages, executive orders, local orders, and health department rules. Members of the KRF team worked quickly to provide help to the business community in many ways including providing

protection for employees and calling for senior citizen shopping hours for elderly customers more vulnerable to COVID-19. The KRF encouraged curbside services and helped install new shopping practices. The KRF is also instrumental in the reopening of retail businesses that were deemed non-essential.

I have spoken with many of you recently, and I thank you for taking time out of your schedule to share your thoughts and concerns with me. I want to hear from you, and I encourage you to contact me at any time with your thoughts or if I can be of assistance. You can email me at reginald.thomas@lrc.ky.gov or contact my office at 502-564-8100.

I currently serve on the following Joint Interim Committees, which typically meet monthly: Administrative Regulations; Child Welfare and Oversight; Education; Economic Development and Workforce Investment; Tourism, Small Business, and Information Technology; Banking and Insurance; Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government, Finance, Personnel, and Public Retirement; Licensing and Occupations; Natural Resources and Energy; and Program Review and Investigations. For a tentative schedule: Interim Committee Calendar.

I encourage you to stay in touch. You can leave me a message by calling the Legislative Message Line at 800-372-7181 or the Spanish Line at (866) 840-6574. You may also email me directly at reginald.thomas@LRC.KY.GOV .

Jesus Calls Disciples Word Search Matthew 9:35-10:23 Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness.

Matthew 10:1

G E M M B P E S S P K I I W T

X V A T T G E I A E I R M Z E

ANDREW BARTHOLOMEW CALL DISCIPLES DUST GOLD

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O Z T O O V T A H T D C I O L

T I H Y E S D E E S X A O H X

X N E R E U L P P S T D L Q P

D S W V J G N D Q U N S Q S C

GOOD NEWS HARVEST JAMES JOHN JUDAS LOST SHEEP

B A R T H O L O M E W D O Y I

R A V A M L A H W A J R U L N

H Y X I Z D L S E D A P T S U

V X S E C A E P R D M C R V T

MATTHEW PEACE PHILIP SANDALS SILVER SIMON

S E L P I C S I D A E N E D O

Q S A M O H T D N H S Q D Z T

S I M O N W G H A T A J F R C

M H N W E L C O M E C A L L B

SIMON PETER THADDAEUS THOMAS TUNIC WELCOME YOU