A Message from the Priest in charge...
My prayer is that this weekly email finds you all safe and well, supplied with the necessities of daily life, connected with family and friends via technology and making the best use of our time at home. What follows are a few updates for our parish community.
On Tuesday, March 24, our Bishop directed that all church buildings be closed for in-person worship until May 24. In-person meetings were also directed to go "online" when they were necessary. So, for the rest of March, all of April (including Holy Week and Easter) and most of May, we will be finding ways to stay connected and worship together via the technology we have at hand (and maybe even some new ways we haven't discovered at this point).
It is so important for us to remember that while our church buildings may be closed, the CHURCH is continuing its mission of bringing the good news of God in Christ to everyone. To that end, here's what we're doing:
- Our daily devotionals will continue for this coming week - Monday and Friday will be text only with reflections from Michael Spring; Tuesday and Thursday will be audio and text with reflections from me; and Wednesday will be video and text. We are adjusting our schedule due to the time it requires to record and edit these devotionals, especially as we are trying (at the same time) to plan for robust offerings for Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter. These go out at noon each weekday via our Constant Contact email distribution list. The video reflections are also linked in on our church Facebook page - easily shared!
- You can always tune in to the "live-streamed" services at other churches around the area, in particular The Cathedral of St. Philip, St. Luke's in Atlanta, St. Anne's in Atlanta and St. Dunstan's in Atlanta. Check their websites for details and times.
- We have established a church ZOOM account. ZOOM is a video conferencing app that enables both video and audio conferencing via laptops, tablets and phones. (Users can download the app for free and then just click on links provided for a particular "meeting.") The Vestry will be testing out this app on Sunday afternoon for our weekly "check-in" call. If all goes well, we hope to expand the use of this application for evening devotionals such as Compline, Sunday morning educational opportunities with our seminarian Ryan Washington and weekly Bible studies. Stay tuned for more details.
- Tomorrow, March 29, you will receive an email with a video link embedded in it featuring me preaching to the camera (which I really understand is the way I am reaching most of you!). It's just the new norm. Have your Bibles and Prayer Books ready at 10:00am or whenever you open the email.
- For Palm Sunday, we will be video recording (in advance) a streamlined service with the critical elements of our traditional worship. Palms will be blessed, the Passion Gospel will be read and a video sermon will be offered. Tom and Jenna will provide music to augment the "virtual" service which you can enjoy at 10:00am on Sunday, April 4.
- During Holy Week, our Maundy Thursday service will be a "text only" email, since we are unable to do the major elements of that service in person - the foot washing, celebration of communion and stripping of the altar. That service will be available via this medium at 7:00pm on April 9.
- On Good Friday, an audio-only service of Stations of the Cross will be offered. Several readers came in this week (at appropriate socially distant intervals) and recorded the different "stations." Jorge has completed his photography work. The "Stations" service will be available through the Constant Contact (CC) email at noon on Good Friday.
- On Good Friday evening, an audio/video service will be offered through CC email at 7:00pm, featuring a streamlined liturgy, sermon from Ryan Washington and music from Tom and Jenna.
- We will not be celebrating the Easter Vigil as usual this year, but will instead include the lighting of the new fire at the beginning of our "virtual" Easter service. The "broadcast" of that service - available at 10:00am on Easter morning - will feature our Easter readings, a sermon and special music offered by Tom, Jenna and several "brass" musicians we have engaged for the day. We will not be able to offer communion that day as hoped and will continue to set a good example of social distancing for the community.
- In the weeks after Easter, until we are able to resume regular in-person worship, we will be offering devotionals using various media and pointing you to other resources that you can access on your own. At some point (hopefully May 24), we know we will be able to gather around the Lord's table again and that will be indeed a joyful day - maybe Easter on steroids!
On reflection, we're doing the best we can with the resources we have, hoping to reach the broadest audience we can. Nothing has prepared us for this situation. I often laugh at the things that we clergy were "never taught in seminary." But with imagination, dedication, your support and God's help, we will all get through this and perhaps begin to see "church" in a new light.
Please don't hesitate to share what has touched your heart and soul, what hasn't worked for you and any ideas you may have for something else. We will respond as best we can to your needs and desires.
From a pastoral care perspective, we have reached out by phone to all those who have no internet connection or access to email and those who are confined in a nursing home/assisted living facility. If we have missed someone, please let us know. Phone calls and cards will continue under the leadership of the Vestry members as they are trying to reach out to all parishioners, friends of the parish and recent visitors who have provided their contact information to us.
As for our outreach ministries, we continue to distribute gift cards from local restaurants and blessing bags to our familiar friends from Wednesday evening. And we've partnered with IGNITE in College Park to support their efforts to support the needy in the community. We are exploring other ideas for distributing food and supplies, while keeping everyone safe. Again, your ideas are welcome!
Lastly, don't forget to continue to mail us your pledges and free-will offerings. At this writing, there have been only a few checks received. Staff still needs to be paid and the lights (at least a few of them) still need to be on. Your faithful financial support during this time is both essential and deeply appreciated.
Stay in except for essentials. Wash your hands. Stay safe. Say your prayers.
Love, peace and blessings to each of you.
Rev. Terri +
