From Fr. Peter
Dear Church,

We are in the middle of our third week of Sheltering in Place, but I am also celebrating the third anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood. I hope it brings a smile to your face to learn that I was ordained on April Fool’s Day. It brings a smile to mine. St. Paul says in his second letter to the Corinthians, "If we are out of our mind, as some say, it is for God.” I guess I sought to prove him right! He goes on to say, "if we are in our right mind, it is for you.” On this the anniversary of my ordination, I am thinking of you, The Church of St. Michael & St. George and how YOU have proven St. Paul right. That in serving you, and Christ in you, I am certainly in my right mind. 

I am daily overwhelmed by and proud of the support and love you have shown to one another, in calling to check on each other, praying together, offering support to one another and to your clergy. Thank you for bearing witness that the body of Christ is busy about its work here on Earth as it is Heaven.

Late last week I listened to a sobering story about the risk Covid-19 is bringing to native peoples here in the US—not necessarily about health, but about cultures and languages. One of the folks interviewed, Vanesscia Cresci, a researcher and public health director said, “Our elders are the keepers of culture and tradition, and often the last speaker of native languages, to lose them could mean losing a language, we have to keep them safe.” I was discussing this with the Rector over text message. I told him of a quote from the interview that was haunting me; something to the effect of, “The young haven’t bothered to learn the languages because there would always be time—until a disease that takes the elders meant time was up.” He replied, “A lot of life is like that.” It reminded me of one of the anthem sentences sung at a funeral: In the midst of life we are in death. When I shared this with him, he offered the admonishment, “Yeah…I would say, seize the moment,” echoing the wisdom of Carpe Diem.

To be sure, Christianity isn’t a language and it certainly isn’t a culture, but it is the means of a relationship with the God who made us and has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ. Today the church commemorates the life and ministry of Frederick Denison Maurice who taught that what we need isn’t religion, it is the living God. But, to the Rector’s point, why not see sheltering in place as an opportunity to seize the moment , to form some new habits? As a family, why not begin saying the daily offices together? There are four of them: morning, noonday, evening, and night otherwise known as Compline. It might feel intimidating, so here is a guide composed by Bishop Peter Eaton. Let us learn this good habit ourselves and then pass it on to our children because as we are learning, time is not always promised. Seize this day. 

If you are sheltering alone, as I am currently, you can say the offices on your own, as I do (in the knowledge that Christians across geography and time are saying them with me). We at CSMSG have begun streaming Morning Prayer each day and I've heard from a few parishioners that though this was not their habit, they have taken to it and they have found deep meaning in the prayers that we are saying together. Won’t you join us in praying? Won’t you seize the day?

In the meantime, hold on to hope. Christ is on his throne. The day is coming when there will be no tears, no sickness, no death. Though we are in the season of Lent, I don’t mind spoiling it for you: Christ is risen. Someday, all will be risen as well. There is hope for today, and a bright hope for tomorrow. Pray with us to that end.

Your servant in the Lord,
Peter+


  • Holy Week Schedule at www.csmsg.org:
  • Palm Sunday April 5, 10 AM
  • Morning Prayer, Monday Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 8am
  • Maundy Thursday 7 PM
  • Altar of Repose live stream from the end of Maundy Thursday until the Good Friday liturgy
  • Good Friday 12 Noon
  • The Great Vigil at home with Sermon posted at 7 PM
  • Easter Sunday 10 AM

  • Be on the look out for a phone call from Church Receptionist Becky Arthur as we update our Realm directory.