Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As we adapt to this new reality, this time calls us to new opportunities: to share resources and refocus our operations.
It is not my expectation as your Bishop that all faith communities host online worship. If you choose not to, I instead recommend that you point folks in your faith community to
St. Mark's Cathedral
or to the
National Cathedra
l
(you do not need a Facebook account to watch these livestreams).
I would also encourage you to take a good look at what needs to be done in the present moment, and what can be done later. We do not need to host every group, event, and conversation that was planned. We can do less. We can give ourselves space.
I would encourage you, in this time, to live into your gifts: ask yourself what God has given you to give others, what God has uniquely equipped
you
to do. And I would encourage us to rely on one another as a community, knowing that we have all been given different work to do, and that, together, we have what we need to be the Beloved Community.
Updated Recommendations
Based on current recommendations from the CDC, the Governor’s office, and in accordance with
the actions of the Episcopal Church,
I recommend that
faith communities discontinue holding any kind of in-person or public gatherings
.
The current thinking is that these protocols will be in place for at least eight weeks.
There are understandable concerns about the impact this has on Holy Week. Please look out for more communication in the coming week about resources and opportunities to collaborate and to observe this most holy time in new ways.
With that in mind, here are a list of upcoming statewide gatherings that will either be canceled or moved online:
Episcopal House of Prayer
The Episcopal House of Prayer has made the decision to cancel all upcoming events. However, contemplative prayer will still take place via Zoom at 5:30 every Wednesday evening.
Click here for an update
from the Director, Christine Luna Munger, and to learn more about the Wednesday evening gatherings.
ECMN Calendar
We are grateful for your patience as we imagine new ways to support our communal gatherings. Details will be forthcoming about each of these events.
JRLC Day on the Hill,
April 1 -
ONLINE
Tuesday Afternoons
If you are a faith community leader, please place a hold on your calendar for Tuesdays at 2pm for the foreseeable future. I will be hosting a weekly webinar to update everyone on the situation as it unfolds, and we will invite different voices to provide perspective and help us all plan during these eight weeks and beyond.
Our first gathering will be Tuesday, March 24th. We will welcome folks to talk to us about resources and practices to help us move through the next eight weeks and, more particularly, how to begin thinking about resuming our daily lives.
Know that you are all in my prayers. We are a network of God’s Beloved Community here in Minnesota, and we will see each other through this.
Blessings,
