Dear Parish Choir and Handbell Choir:  (sorry for the long email...lots to say.)

I hope that each of you are staying well and that you have what you need during this time of distancing.  Our lives have definitely changed for an extended period and we all must do what we can to make the best of our situation.  The Wards are well and my prayer is that this message finds you the same.  Our oldest son, Alex was able to fly home a week ago from NYC.  He's been sequestered to our basement since then and showing no symptoms of Covid-19. He occasionally emerges to the top of the steps for food.  Terri is busy with work from school (distance learning) and doing lots of cooking.  I've been staying busy with work from church as well as attempting to remove some clutter from the house.  Tell me why I still had cancelled checks from that period in history when the banks actually sent you your old checks!  I limit watching TV news to about 30 minutes per day. I have found it creates too much anxiety. Today, the three of us were able to enjoy a neighborhood walk in the beautiful sunshine.  

On the church scene, the building for the most part is closed.  The custodians have cleaned it from head to toe.  We even took this opportunity to have some cleaning done on the organ.  Do you remember when we had to replace the floors in the Nave and the floor removal made such a huge mess?  The part of the organ that protrudes over the heads of the basses had not been cleaned since that time.  The organ builder and his crew took about 4 days to remove those pipes and clean that area and put it back together again.  

The exposed great organ, after cleaning.

I have attended several meetings on Zoom with staff and others. Each Thursday, we video record for the worship service that is presented each Sunday on YouTube.  We are extremely safe in the process of recording. We video short segments so that very few people are present at the same time.  Last week the service was also on Facebook, but we have determined that YouTube is much better platform.  Watch for an email from the church so that you can click the YouTube link and be a part of worship this Sunday at 10 am.  If you miss the 10 am time, you can click and watch at a later time.  This week's service will focus on gratitude.  The service will include the hymn, Praise to the Lord, the Almighty.  I hope will join me in singing.  Please get a photo or video of how your family participates and share with with me (so I can share it.)  Edie has sent information to the families of our Children's Choirs so that they can prepare to join in singing too!

	Church staff meeting from my dinning room table.