ADOTS Weekly Special Update
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A weekly roundup of information, updates, and recommended ministry resources.
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"When we enter a church, our surroundings help us to focus on God. We immediately begin to feel more peaceful and to anticipate a time of worship. A home prayer space can do the same. It can be a permanent space in a quiet corner or a space you make on your kitchen table. You and your family can collect materials which help make the chosen spot a space for worship... If you keep the prayer materials in a handy spot, you will find that your children get them out on their own and have their own prayer time. Older children often write their prayers down to create their own prayer journal. As your children grow, you and your family will develop your own ways of praying together. Their attention spans will expand, and children who are reading will want to read aloud. You can learn songs and hymns together and sing at the prayer table.
Begin small and with practice, your family prayer and worship will grow along with your family."
-Victoria Schwartz, ADOTS Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Advisor
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Archbishop Calls for Prayer and Fasting on Good Friday
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In response to the coronavirus pandemic that has consumed the world, Archbishop Foley Beach is calling for Anglicans to join in prayer and fasting this Good Friday, April 10 — uniting with our brothers and sisters in the Presbyterian Church.
An announcement released by the Anglican Church in North America says that “in such desperate times, the people of God should humble themselves and pray to their almighty God for his grace, mercy, and love to heal us, restore us, and relieve us from this crushing burden of disease.”
The call for prayer and fasting is “an historic, ecumenical event because the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) and the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) have united for the first time to pray for God’s mercy and healing.”
The hope is that all 550,000 members of these three churches — plus other denominations that are aware of the event — have the opportunity to participate.
Archbishop Foley says, “Good Friday is one of the two days of prayer and fasting that all Anglicans are commended to observe. This Good Friday, April 10, is an especially appropriate time for everyone in the Anglican Church in North America to join with our Presbyterian brothers and sisters in Christ in this historic call to prayer and fasting. The Solemn Collects from our own Liturgy for Good Friday (BCP 2019 pgs. 566-571) are a helpful guide for prayer on this day.”
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5 Ways to Minister to Healthcare Workers Right Now
Fr. Geoff Hatley is Rector at St. Andrew’s in Madison, AL and a volunteer hospital chaplain. He’s been leading devotionals and prayers for hospital workers at Madison Hospital, part of the Huntsville Hospital Health System, after the head of the hospital requested chaplains minister to the entire staff during the pandemic.
Fr. Chris Cairns, Assistant Rector at St. Andrew’s and a military chaplain, is also leading a devotional for hospital staff once a week.
Serving Essential Workers During this Crisis
When schools and day cares closed, many essential workers were left scrambling for reliable childcare for their children so they could continue to run our hospitals, police and emergency services, grocery stores and supply chains, and more.
Fr. Doug McCurry, Rector of Legacy Anglican Church in Montgomery, AL shares about their decision to open their preschool as a childcare only for essential workers during the pandemic
The CARES Act and Churches
Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) on March 27, the largest stimulus and relief package in U.S. history. One important provision of the CARES Act for churches and non-profits is the Payment Protection Program (PPP), which sets aside $350 billion in potentially forgiveable loans — the main purpose of which is keeping people employed.
The American Anglican Council and Canon Phil Ashey have been analyzing the program with legal counsel in order to advise our clergy and vestries. Accepting federal funds leads to concerns about infringement upon first amendment rights — however, after reviewing the provisions, the AAC’s position is that the usefulness of the PPP to keep congregations, clergy, and staff afloat for eight weeks outweighs the risks.
Canon Phil Ashey advises churches who think they may need payroll support to begin talks with your bank immediately about applying for the program, as small businesses and non-profits have already begun applying when the program opened on April 3.
Find out more here.
ADOTS Member Prayer Videos
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Easily printable at home, click below for a PDF download of scriptures and collects for Easter Week 2020.
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Please Share: Daily Prayer Live!
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Morning, Noonday, and Compline
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Archbishop Beach asked us to provide live Daily Office prayer!
The clergy of ADOTS and Holy Cross Cathedral have come together to create a live Daily Office format for:
Weekly Hymn Sing! Every Wednesday at 2pm with Chris Sieggen of St. Thomas, Athens, Georgia.
Liturgy
We're using the liturgy at
https://www.dailyoffice2019.com/ so that everyone can follow along each day. This website updates the prayer services of the daily office each day, so its all there!
Please Share
With so many people looking for connection, this is a great resource to share with all your friends on any social media platform. You can share the link fb.com/adotsDailyPrayer anywhere, Twitter, Facebook, Email, Instagram! Your friends and family don't have to be on Facebook to watch the videos. and join us in prayer.
You can also share on your church's public pages!
Comment
Whenever you join us, please add a comment to show us you are present, to encourage others,, to add a prayer request, or to give a thanksgiving.
See you there!
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Prayers for Such a Time as This
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We have compiled and adapted prayers from the Book of Common Prayer 2019 to include in online parish services and for home worship. Some prayers have been adjusted from the BCP 2019 to reflect the current coronavirus situation. We have included the prayer number and page numbers so you can easily find them in your own BCP 2019. You can download and print this resource as a PDF by clicking the link below.
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Send us Your Stories of God's Grace in this Time
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We would love to share the stories of God's work through and among his people. Please email us at
news@adots.org so that Rachel can help you share these stories of God working even in difficult times.
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Check out our website for more...
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