Monday, March 23, 2020
Dear Calvary family:
This letter is full of information on what is happening at Calvary Episcopal Church during the global health crises of Covid19. It also contains information about church resources for worship, both at Calvary and in the wider Episcopal Church. Please read this carefully. Above all, know that each of you is in our hearts and prayers, always. This is the season of diaspora – a scattering of people who are connected by their faith and their love for God and for one another. We may be physically distant, but we do not have to be distant in friendship or in care, and we do not have to be distant in our worship of God. Here’s what you need to know:
As of today, March 23, Calvary is completely closed to the public, including all 12 step groups. Our staff continues to come into work, but are now staggering our hours. All members of 12 step groups are encouraged to check their organization’s web sites for information on virtual meetings. Bishop Brian Prior and our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry are asking us to remain closed through May 10.
The Visitor will continue to come out weekly, and in that, you can find any current updates on what is happening around the church. We will begin offering a prayer list in the Visitor and hope to include a video link to a recording done by Rev. Beth and others. The Visitor will be mailed to those who do not have internet.
Worship Resources: Rev. Beth is leading online worship through our church Facebook page and on a Zoom link. You do not need a Facebook account to access our Calvary page, but we encourage you to set one up if only for this season. You can then request to receive notices when we go live for worship. Our site address is www.facebook.com/calvaryrochester. We will be experimenting with using Zoom for one or two services a week, and the link for the Zoom “meeting” will be posted in our Facebook account. Zoom is easy to use and fairly reliable. The current online worship schedule is:
Mondays at 5:15pm – a service of healing
Tuesdays at 8:30pm – Compline
Wednesdays at 7:30am – Morning Prayer (on Zoom)
Wednesdays at 12:00pm – Noonday Prayer
Wednesdays at 12:30pm – Bible Study (on Zoom)
Sundays at 9:00am – Morning Prayer with a short homily.
There are many online worship resources from our larger Episcopal Church. The National Cathedral (www.cathedral.org) is offering worship throughout the week and a service with great preachers on Sunday mornings. The Episcopal Church (www.episcopalchurch.org) is offering weekly meditations by our Presiding Bishop called Habits of Grace as well as many other resources. As you find other resources, please share them on our Facebook page.
How to be in touch: Our Vestry is currently calling or sending notes to everyone in the church. They will keep in touch with the folks on their lists throughout this disruption. If you would like to call Rev. Beth or Senior Warden Tom Abts or Junior Warden Lisa Thomas, you will find their contact information at the end of this letter. Do not hesitate to reach out for any reason, but in particular if you are ill or need any kind of help. Also, a reminder to call one another! You may not be seeing your coffee and doughnut buddies on Sunday mornings, but we can call one another, and have a cup of coffee and eat a doughnut at home!
We have set up two Zoom accounts for Calvary staff and members to use. One allows a 40 minute meeting and one has no limit. If you would like to set a meeting for your committee or a group to talk or study, please email or call Rev. Beth, who will set it up for you. She needs to know the name of the group, the emails of everyone in the group or one group email, the start and the end times of the meeting.
Children’s and Adult Formation: Jennifer O’Neill is getting in touch with teachers and parents to see what would work best for all of our children and teenagers. If you see an email from her, please answer! We hope to have some online “Sunday school” even if it is not on a Sunday, as well as time for our teenagers to gather virtually.
Rev. Beth will be leading an Adult Bible Study on Wednesdays at 12:30, and will provide a Zoom link for this on our Facebook page. We will be studying the Gospel passage for the next Sunday. I know that the Prayer Posse, Contemplative Prayer Group and the Benedictines plan on meeting virtually.
Music: Brian Williams is recording organ pieces to post on our Facebook page. He will be gathering the Choirs virtually for connection and care.
Financial information: This is a critical time for Calvary financially, as it is for us all. We hope that you will consider not only keeping your pledges up to date, but also ask you to give a little more if you can, as others will not be able to give as much right now. If you normally put your financial gift in the offering plate, you may certainly put it in the U.S Mail or drop it in the mail drop in the door on the east side of Calvary. You might also consider giving online – either through your own bank or through our ACH system, which Phil Malley, our Finance Administrator, can assist you with. You may also give through PayPal and the tithe.ly app, which is easy to download and to use.
Please be in touch. God’s love is palpable here, in our church, in our relationships, and in the virtual world too. We are in a long Lent, with Good Friday still between us and Easter, but God makes a way out of no way, and Easter will arrive. To God be the glory.
| Tom Abts, Senior Warden 507-261-7038 trmabts@gmail.com |
Lisa Thomas, Junior Warden 507-358-5248 Joyfulgirl1@me.com |
Rev. Beth Royalty, Rector 651-253-5920 rector@calvary-rochester.org |