Dear People of St. Martin's,
Last night our Vestry met via Zoom. It was a good - not the same as being with each other in person, but making the best of this situation. I was grateful for people's good spirits and the work we continue to carry out, as well as the understanding for things we cannot do right now.
The night before we had a St. Martin's School meeting, also via Zoom. It was reported that a family of the school had asked if they cold be relieved of paying tuition since school is not in session. After considerate conversation, one board member said, "I think we need to communicate honestly that if our income stops now there probably won't be a school to come back to when this is all over. We have to ask our families to help us make it through." The same is true for the church. We continue to pay our staff and care for our buildings so that there will be a St. Martin's to come back to when this is over. Your continued financial support, as well as personal encouragement and prayer are as crucial now as ever.
And if you are among those who will inevitably be laid off or curtailed during this time, let us know how we can help. Can we shop for each other, or provide transportation to the doctor? How can we help?
While it is being talked about each day, no one knows when we will be able to return to our houses of worship. Yesterday, our Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. Michael Curry said we need to consider the strong possibility we will not be able to gather for Holy Week or Easter. That is not a decision that has been made yet, but the possibility has prompted thinking about what is possible in the midst of other things that are not possible right now.
Below I will share with you some of the online resources for prayer, study and worship that I have appreciated over the years. There are countless others and if you have a favorite, send me the information and we can share ideas.
I'm also thinking about picking up the book study of Fr. Samuel Well's book, "Hanging by a Thread: Questions of the Cross." We got off to a good start at the beginning of Lent and can easily continue when all this is over. But as so many schools are shifting to online classes right now, I've begun to wonder if we might do an online adult class each week? Let me know what you think, if you'd be interested.
We also plan to continue to offer a weekly reflection on one of the scripture readings for Sunday. Last week we put the homily on Facebook, YouTube and our own website. My hope is that when this is over we will be able to take what we learn now and apply it to broadcasting our regular Sunday morning Mass, being all the more mindful of those who cannot make it to 1350 Washington Valley Road on any given Sunday.
Thank you for who and how you are. Continue to look out for and to take care of one another, and this Lent may you each find unexpected angels ministering to you now as Jesus did in the wilderness.
Yours in Christ,
Tim+