Look here for updates on cancellations and other news related to the coronovirus outbreak.
The practices of the Christian life give us the order and structure to deal with the anxiety and fear that come from shifts as dramatic as we are going through now. Like structures built to withstand earthquakes, we will need to have a good foundation and the flexibility to move with the trembling around us.
Today (May 1) we celebrate the feast of the apostles Phillip and James. These saints are often mistaken for two others: Phillip the Deacon and Evangelist and James the brother of Jesus. We know more about Phillip than we do about James, but together they are an example of facilitating others’ coming to know Jesus. Their witness is sometimes obscured by associations with other people, but they are important companions of Jesus who show us discernment and the ability to seize the right moment to bring others to Christ.
In this video, Veronika asks St. Luker's to reflect on ways to get out of the Slough of Despond ( an image from Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress), which is an allegory for the disillusionment one may feel at certain early points in a long difficult journey, like a pilgrimage or a response to a long-lasting crisis. Bunyan's character gets out of the Slough only after accepting help from another person (usefully named "Help" in the story).
Join Tom Hargrove, The Rev. Richard Jones, and others for Morning Prayer and a reflection time.
Bishop Goff has extended her direction that no churches worship in person until after Easter. While we are not able to worship in person, St. Luke’s will continue worshipping online via Zoom and the office will continue to be open for phone calls and limited visits.
You can read the bishop’s message about Holy Week and Easter here.
I’ve always had a bit of an unruly will, and it has been more difficult than usual to obey needed restrictions these past couple of weeks. During a period of self-isolation because of my brief lunch with a colleague who tested positive for Covid-19, and now due to the governor’s orders, I have been mostly in my house for seventeen days. We’ve been worshiping online each week, but I long to see all of you in person. I’ve been praying to receive “my daily bread” from God, but fasting from the “Bread of Life” as we have not been able to share the Eucharist on three Sundays. I am doing what the public health authorities say I must to help slow the spread of the coronavirus that causes covid-19, but I don’t have to like it. You don’t have to like it either. What we are going through this Lent is hard, but it is not unprecedented in our Christian history.
This week, Bishop Susan Goff recorded a video meditation, titled “Let our prayers and our praise of God become contagious.” You can view it by clicking on the image below.
Click on the above image to be taken to the video
We are the family of God, who has adopted us, choosing people to be his beloved ones before the world was even created. Because of the love of God that has chosen us, we choose to care for others by continuing to suspend our in person services until after Easter.
From the Board of Directors of Saint Luke’s Day School.
St. Luke's Day School is closed effective today, March 13th, 2020, in accordance with Bishop Goff and the Episcopal Church, St. Luke's Church leadership and the SLDS Parent Trustees. Along with the Church, we will consider reopening March 25th, 2020. However, we will reassess what public health officials are recommending at that time.
The Diocese of Virginia has made a page of resources related to COVID-19. You can access it here:
http://www.thediocese.net/news-and-events/covid-19-resources/
More information from St. Luke’s about online worship and how to best stay connected while we are not meeting in person will be coming later today.
