Dear parish family,
....And God will provide a path for us as we continue to walk together in love during this difficult time.
As we begin this week, in this strange new world we find ourselves in, I pray that this email finds each of you faring well in these circumstances. I went for a walk yesterday afternoon to get a little fresh air. It's quiet. And, a bit surreal. Yet, God feels very close and palpable. One of my dear seminary friends shared this poem on Facebook this morning:
Pandemic by Lynn Ungar 3/11/2020
What if you thought of it
as the Jews consider the Sabbath --
the most sacred of times?
Cease from travel.
Cease from buying and selling.
Give up, just for now,
on trying to make the world
different than it is.
Sing. Pray. Touch only those
to whom you commit your life.
Center down.
And when your body has become still,
reach out with your heart.
Know that we are connected
in ways that are terrifying and beautiful.
(You could hardly deny it now.)
Know that our lives
are in one another's hands.
(Surely, that has come clear.)
Do not reach out your hands.
Reach out your hearts.
Reach out your words.
Reach out all the tendrils
of compassion that move, invisibly,
where we cannot touch.
Promise this world your love--
for better or for worse,
in sickness and in health,
so long as we all shall live.
I share this with you in an effort to bring you calm, comfort, and peace in this time when we are all scrambling to remain connected and committed to one another in ways that might seem foreign, odd, or disconnected. God is with us. God is still with us.
As many of you are aware, ALL in-person worship, meetings and gatherings have now been suspended for the entire Episcopal Diocese of Central New York. (Click here to read Bishop DeDe's latest statement). As schools close and our world rapidly changes (click here for updated information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), I want you to have access to as much spiritual support and care that I can possibly offer. God is with us.
To that end, throughout Lent, I will be offering online Morning Prayer at 9:30 am, and Evening Prayer at 6:30 pm each day, (including Sundays) via Zoom. Evening Prayer will begin today, Monday, March 16 at 6:30 pm.
To join the online worship, follow the instructions provided on our Home page.