On Tuesday, March 17, the church commemorated  Patrick, bishop and missionary to Ireland  (AD 389-461). The patron saint of Ireland, Patrick was a native of Britain who was kidnapped by pirates at age sixteen and sold into slavery in Ireland. After a few years, he escaped, returned home, and entered the ministry. Returning to Ireland, he successfully served as a bishop and missionary there. He baptized hundreds of people and established monasteries. The story is told that in 433 on the Hill of Slane he inaugurated the lighting of a bonfire at the beginning of the Easter service. ( More Days for Praise , p. 60)

Let us pray: O God of creation, eternal majesty, you preside over land and sea, sunshine and storm. By your strength pilot us, by your power preserve us, by your wisdom instruct us, and by your hand protect us, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.  Amen.  (Prayer based on Patrick's writings,  ELW , p. 40)

As communities across the United States and around the world take steps to slow the spread of COVID-19, the routine daily movements of individuals, faith communities, businesses, and more have ground to a halt – or taken new shapes few anticipated. With closed signs hanging outside many restaurants and shelves standing empty inside many stores, it’s no surprise that many people are worried about having enough to get through the current crisis. And yet, in the midst of it, we need to remember that the fear of scarcity or vulnerability did not start with the novel coronavirus; it merely widened in scope.

World Water Day, held on 22 March every year since 1993, is an annual United Nations Observance focusing on the importance of freshwater. World Water Day celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. It is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis. A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. World Water Day 2020 is about water and climate change – and how the two are inextricably linked. The campaign shows how our use of water will help reduce floods, droughts, scarcity and pollution, and will help fight climate change itself. By adapting to the water effects of climate change, we will protect health and save lives. And, by using water more efficiently, we will reduce greenhouse gases.

The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP) has produced a wrap up on the actions taken during General Assembly, and the legislative victories and the impact these actions will make on our commonwealth.

Overall, it was a fabulous session. There was great progress made on almost every priority issue for the VICPP. And even the paid sick day bill went way further than expected and helped to lay the groundwork for passing it in 2021.