Things are changing very quickly. We are all anxious. I am sheltered in place with Eric and I hope all of you are self-isolating. Each household is facing its own set of challenges – schooling at home, working online or loss of employment, living alone, sorting out how to obtain essentials for daily living. Let’s remember to be kind and to take moments for breathing and prayer when our daily challenges feel overwhelming.
Your Vestry is amazing. With leadership from your Senior and Junior Wardens, Cathy Daust and Bob Gilmore, Vestry members have stepped up to communicate with each household that we have contact information for. That will continue on a weekly basis. We met online last night to check in with each other and to make sure the business end of Faith Church continues to be properly managed. We agreed to meet online weekly to stay in touch and to support each other as we grieve Fr. Sean’s sudden death and make our way in our daily lives.
Your staff and volunteers are amazing. Rev. Sonya reminded us so clearly in her sermon last Sunday of her spiritual leadership and pastoral presence. Rosie is keeping the choir connected virtually and we are working on the possibility of livestreaming a “sing along” from her home studio. Monica is holding down the fort with communications and IT support, resources for households with children, and supporting our Lenten study groups that are all meeting online. Pat Ekelund is working from home checking church emails, creating needed bulletins and downloads for our online services, and keeping on top of building needs. Lynne Thomas, our treasurer, is getting our mail regularly and working online to keep our finances in good shape.
You are all amazing. You have stepped up to learning online technologies to keep our Lenten study groups going strong. You are staying in touch with each other by phone and email. You are finding ways to pray for each other and to support each other while staying safe.
Below you will find information about our upcoming Sunday services, about resources for prayer and the Daily Offices that you can download and use, about our small groups, and about how to continue with your financial contributions.
This Thursday Update will continue to be sent weekly to keep you up-to-date.
Let us continue to hold each other in prayer. Remember to be kind – to yourself and to others. We are all feeling challenged and that feeling is not going away anytime soon. Find your rest and strength in God’s love for each of us. I consider myself a courageous person – not fearless by any stretch of the imagination, rather willing to trust that God is always with me and that God’s love will carry me no matter what.
God is always with us and God’s love will carry us. Let us be people of courage.
