Good Wednesday Morning St. Bede's Peeps,
This is a brief Wednesday morning check-in.
These last few days have seemed overwhelming as information on the public health front have changed day-by-day, hour-by-hour, and sometimes minute-by-minute. The staff and I have spent the past two days working together remotely to:
- Identify new ways and "networks" for providing pastoral care (for instance - an old fashioned "phone tree")
- Identify digital and conference-call platforms to connect us during this time
- Imagining new formats for our remote worship, formation, and conversations
- Figure out how the parish will continue to operate administratively and financially
Soon, the Vestry will also gather on one of these new digital platforms to engage these conversations as well.
Some of the ways that we may imagine to connect us in the days ahead may be in digital or virtual formats that many of us (including myself) are not always familiar or comfortable with. As we introduce these, please note that we are trying to find platforms that have to fewest obstacles to accessibility and success - so please try them as you can, and if at first they don't succeed, try, try again. As we identify these platforms, we are also looking for platforms that have a "low tech" connection point as well. So, while some may choose to connect form computers or tablets with cameras and microphones, others will be able to call in from a traditional land-line or mobile phone. We have been asking a few of you to test these with us to moderate success so far. Look for much more information to come.
With that said, we will also be encouraging "old fashioned" modes of connection. Please call each other and mail cards or letters. This is a great season to practice "conventional connection" as well - some of these forms are becoming lost arts and it would be great to revive them.
Also, we are establishing an email account (
[email protected]
) for general inquiries during this time for when you don't know whom to ask. You can always email a staff member directly with a question, but if you don't know where to go for information, send it to [email protected] and a copy will be sent to me, Muriel, and others on the staff, hopefully making a response from one or more us more timely.
Again and above all, love one another, love your neighbors, be kind and make wise decisions, and pray and give thanks to God for life - even in this so very unusual time. We will remain in touch as we have more news to share.
Peace,
Chad+
