This morning, many gathered for Saint Luke's worship in a new way - online.  Many generations of people were connected by technology to pray, sing, hear scripture and a wonderful sermon by Erin Rugh.  (You can watch it here, sermon starts about 25:30.)  It was a reminder that we are still together in faith, "responding to God's astonishing grace... moved to love God, love each other, and love our neighbors near and far."  That spirit about our congregation endures because it is of God, and continues in the present dawn of Coronavirus, too.  This morning was a reminder that even when times get tense and strange, God is with us and leading us and loving us, and we will be okay as we live in love.  

Right now, the best love we can give one another and our neighbors is safe social distance, and so we will.  This afternoon, the Saint Luke's Session decided, in order to preserve public health and protect those most vulnerable in our congregation and community in these uncertain times,  on the following actions:

All church activities that require in-person gathering will be canceled indefinitely, consistent with the decision made by Dekalb County School District in consultation with state and county boards of health.  Once Dekalb County Schools re-open for gathering, the Session will meet to decide when it is safe for Saint Luke's to resume gathering in person again.  The cancellation of gathering activities will go at least through Sunday, March 29th, but likely beyond, even including Holy Week.  As long as we are on hiatus from in-person gathering, we will conduct our worship services online Sundays at 10:30, we will conduct business and stay connected with other forms of communication, and we will explore new ways to grow together using internet and phone.

Also, the church building and office will be closed for at least two weeks, consistent with the closure of Dunwoody's City Hall.  This will apply to all groups using the Saint Luke's campus for gathering, with an exception made for Family Promise's hospitality for families experiencing homelessness.  Once City Hall re-opens, the Session will meet to decide when it is safe and wise to open the building again.  In the meantime, the Saint Luke's pastors and staff will work together remotely, and develop ways to be supportive in the community during this trying time.

Additionally, the Board of Deacons of the church has also mobilized care and caregivers for anyone who needs assistance during this time of isolation, like shopping and other errands.  There will be more information forthcoming about care at Saint Luke's, but you can contact Pastor Shannon or Loving Care Committee deacon chair  Emily Ritzler for more information.  We will be checking on each other even more so these days and no one in the Saint Luke's family is alone.

These are drastic and unprecedented measures in the history of Saint Luke's, but by grace and patience, we will be more than okay, we will be stronger for the experience.  "For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).  We believe in and live in the life that is eternal when we love one another as we have been loved.  And so we will continue to do so, in a new way, as God does a new thing.

As Erin charged us this morning, "be wise, be safe, and be well."

Peace, 

 

PS - There's so much misinformation out there about Coronavirus, and when you need the truth about pandemics, it helps to have a medical professor and epidemiologist as an elder of your church.  Dr. Nael McCarty says that the most helpful and objective information available about the virus is available from the World Health Organization, who are doing remarkable work to stem the tide of spread of Coronavirus.  More trustworthy information is available here.