Dear Calvary Parishioners,
We're starting our third week since the Coronavirus outbreak began to fold into a pandemic. I will say, I deeply miss what is at the heart of our life as Christians-- coming together week by week for corporate worship. It's something that connects us one to another and shapes our life of prayer.
There are two things I'd like for us to be thinking about as a community this week:
- How we can pray while apart.
- How to stay connected to each other in life-giving ways.
First,
Prayer
. On Wednesday morning, I woke up with my mind a mess of chaos. Between the constant hum of "Breaking News," the needs of my children, and the needs of the church
(all co-existing in one space at home!)
, my heart and mind have been racing to rest in a new rhythm. Racing to rest is solidly oxymoronic.
It's no wonder my prayer life has been messy at best. I was reminded before I got out of bed of two prayer practices I've learned through the years that keep me grounded.
One is from author Anne Lamott. She urges our prayers can be as simple simply saying, "
Help!
" or "
Thanks
," or "
Wow
." I like adding, "
I'm Sorry"
to those simple prayers.
In my teenage years, a youth leader taught me a simple way to structure my prayers. I go back to it in times like these. Just remember A.C.T.S.
Adoration
- adoring God in a time like this? Yes, finding ways to give praise to a God that is beyond all things and in all things is good during a time like this.
Confession
- With more time at home, and time moving from place to place converted to time "in place," examining our consciences is a good exercise.
Thanksgiving
- And for what do we give thanks. Imagine other times and places in the face of pandemic. That alone should give you cause for thanksgiving to God today.
Supplication
- Ask God to help. For whom do you pray? I suggest being specific. And you'll have time to take note-- how exactly is God answering your prayers? What is God's answer?
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The Episcopal Book of Common Prayer defines prayer like this:
“Prayer is responding to God, in thought or deed, with or without words.”
I am seeing a lot of prayer in active deeds, without words, already happening among faithful people.
Prayer, by this definition, saves lives. Your deed may be sitting at home. It might be quietly staying calm and practicing social distancing in a grocery store or your essential workplace. It may be organizing, making phone calls, or preparing to-go meals for hungry people.
Keep up the prayers.
Next,
how do we stay connected?
I think in a time like this, the danger is to be
overly-connected
in ways that don't give life. I suggest making a rhythm of connection. Turn off and on the TV or your phone at specific times each day.
Since we can't be at church together, I highly recommend scheduling online worship into your week. See below for instructions on how to worship virtually.
(If you can't connect in that way, you can at least make a sacred space in your home and open your prayer books. Pray the Daily Office and know you are not alone.)
Get involved in the
Calvary Connection Circle
initiative. You will be hearing from a member of the church this week about ways you can connect weekly with others at Calvary. I believe this simple, weekly connection will serve to help us "be the church" to one another even though we are apart.
Let us pray.
Let us remain connected one to another.
Blessings and Peace,
Allison+
The Reverend Allison English
Rector
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Online Worship
You can tune into worship this Sunday at 10:30 AM on
The worship guide for these services will be sent out via the chimes on Saturday.
Online worship has been a very effective way to connect with one another and our city! We boosted our worship to reach people in the greater Cincinnati area.
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Last Sunday,
over 4,000 people viewed Calvary's Worship and 736 people played the service through.
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Update on IHN
In these uncertain and dangerous times, IHN and Calvary demonstrated great love. Kelsey Logan provided compassionate and wise medical guidance to Calvary’s volunteers. With appropriate distancing Allison Logan greeted the IHN guests providing children’s entertainment bags and home cooked food. Dave and Kani Meyer transported and set up the Calvary supplied food in Christ Church kitchen. That food had been lovingly made by Kara Hill, Jane Paraskevopoulos, Lee Ann Conard. Nathan Harpine was the overnight host.
As you can see in Elizabeth Brown’s letter below, all this helped four homeless families who had nowhere else to go. It’s great to be part of the Calvary community, especially as it is shining a light of love in Cincinnati.
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Elizabeth Brown’s Message
The Cathedral hosted 4 families last week through the Interfaith Hospitality Network. In a week of increasing dire warnings to stay home, we were able to provide a safe "home" for 7 children and their parents.
We took precautions by limiting the number of hosts, sanitizing surfaces, washing hands often, and keeping our distance. It was hard not to hold the two cuddly infants and to tell the 6 year old No when he asked, "Will you play with me?" One mother worked at a call center and was able to "work from home" at the Cathedral in the evening.
Our week was cut short at 6 days when the IHN staff got funding from United Way to house the families individually in hotel rooms to avoid communal bathrooms and eating spaces. They were very grateful to the Cathedral for giving them the 6 days to get the funding and make the arrangements.
Thank you to all who provided hospitality to our guests this week. Our friends from Calvary came through on Thursday night, bringing entertainment bags for the children with games and treats.
Hopefully by our next scheduled IHN host week, July 12-18, we will be through the pandemic. For now, Prince and I are going to listen to our sons who say we are old and need to stay home.
Blessings,
Elizabeth Brown
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Pledging
There will be no one here for the next few weeks to give to the church in person.
If you’re a pledger,
please do not forget to keep up your pledge.
Mail a check to the church
or give online at our website under the heading
Belong
(
Click Here
for link) and
scroll to the button
“Give Online”
and go from there.
You can TEXT to give. Simply text CalvaryEpiscopal - Capitalize each word, no spaces. to 73256
and follow the prompts
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Youth Ministry
Youth Group will meet every Sunday morning at 10:30 using Zoom conference. Please email Miriam at
miriam@calvaryclifton.org
for an invitation to the meeting if you did not receive one.
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Calvary Connection
Calvary Connection Circles are a way for each parishioner to be in touch with another parishioners.
We will have 7 Teams with 12-16 households each who weekly share in calling and checking in on each other.
It's a way to care and be of service from home.
Look in your e-mail/ watch your phone
for communication from your Connection Team Leader
within the next week!
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This week we pray for
:
For those on our Parish Prayer List
Kerrie Yates, Kaylee Yates, JennyRebecca Ronning, Ruth, Randy McKnight
(home after Monday elective surgery),
Howard Helvey, Brad Caldwell, Calvary Choir Members, Megan Rich (
physician on front lines)
, The McKenney Family
(home from Spain, 14-day quarantine
), Cameron Taylor, The Martin Family, Elizabeth Bible, Ingrid Grupp, Paul McCauley, Lois Sechler, Thayer McKinley, Martha Milligan, Dale, Patti, Julia Helvey, Joyce Rimlinger, Cathy McCaffery, Susan Dyer, Georgia, Jim & Florine Postell
Calvary’s children have asked for prayers for grandparents and other family members, and changes.
For workers on the front lines.
For people facing job loss.
For people who live alone.
For Homebound Parishioners
All who are able to work from home and stay at home, for peace and health
Mary Ann Bragg, Richard Sininger, Joan Sievers, Paul McCauley, Hazel Ison
For Expectant Parents:
Andrew & Jenna Sturgeon
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Donate to Calvary Episcopal Church
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