Author: administrator

6 March 2020

Dear Clergy and People of the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania,

With two presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 reported in Pennsylvania in Delaware and Wayne Counties (as of Friday, March 6), I wanted to check in to offer continued support and recommendations for best practices as we gather together this weekend and in the future for worship.

As of today, there are no restrictions issued by the county, state or national government about gathering in groups. Common sense and best practices encourage continued good hygiene and, for those who are of a vulnerable population- the aged and those already living with chronic respiratory illness- personal discernment is urged about whether or not to participate in large group activities. For those congregations who have people in these vulnerable categories, it is encouraged that a plan be developed in each congregation to check in on members who choose to separate themselves. A phone call to members who have been out of community and an offer to assist with shopping and other errands would be most appreciated.

I expect that church in our diocese will continue on apace, and I would encourage these practices:

• Place hand sanitizer in several locations throughout the church. Offer Kleenex in the pews and places to discard used Kleenex. (Coughing into one’s elbow is no longer considered a safe practice. Coughing into a tissue and immediately discarding it is regarded as a best practice.)
• The Peace and greetings following service are to be conducted with a gentle bow, or an elbow “bump.” Please avoid shaking hands to prevent the spread of illness.
• Clergy and eucharistic ministers, acolytes and others handling communion elements should use hand sanitizer before the service begins, at the Offertory and after communion has been distributed.
• Intinction (dipping the host) by congregational members is not safe. If intinction is preferred, the clergy person will instinct for the person and place the host in their mouth. The safest way to receive communion is by receiving the bread in one kind only. This is theologically sound. Communion is considered efficacious in “one kind.” (bread or wine alone). If the communicant chooses to receive bread alone, they can gently raise their hand to the chalice without touching it (like a “stop” signal) to indicate to the chalice minister that they are only receiving bread. If the common cup is used, silver rather than ceramic chalices are encouraged as they allow for greater sanitary practice.
• Coffee hours can and should continue. Please follow good safety and hygiene practices in the kitchen and in food preparation.
• Congregations should consider alternate methods for pledge collection, especially for those whom, because of vulnerability, choose to stay away. Online giving is an option for ensuring ongoing continuity of operations. Canon Alexis Guszick ([email protected]) or Canon Chad Linder ([email protected]) can offer assistance in getting these practices set up.
• Regular hand washing performed several times per day with hot, soapy water is the best way to prevent the spread of illness. At least 20 seconds is recommended for this to be effective. It is a wonderful time to take a moment to breathe, to offer prayers for the sick, to offer prayers of thanksgiving, and to center ourselves.

Please keep the faith, friends. We have a mighty God who has imbued us with “memory, reason and skill,” (BCP pg. 370) and these gifts will help to see us through. A public health situation raises the anxiety in our households, our schools, our congregations and our communities. God desires our wholeness, God calls on us to use our gifts to make sensible choices and to problem solve, but let us not forget, “God is a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1). Keep saying your prayers, reach out to your neighbors to check in and know that “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” (Hebrews 6:19)

I will be in touch again if greater measures for our safety are required.

Here’s a prayer for peace of mind:

Merciful Jesus, you are my guide, the joy of my heart, the author of my hope, and the object of my love. I come seeking refreshment and peace. Show me your mercy, relieve my fears and anxieties, and grant me a quiet mind and an expectant heart, that by the assurance of your presence I may learn to abide in you, who is my Lord and my God. Amen. (www.gracecathedral.org)

For more information, please visit the following recommended websites:

https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/Pages/Coronavirus.aspx

Faith-Based Response to Epidemics + Pandemics

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

In the Way of Love,

The Rt. Rev. Audrey C. Scanlan

XI Bishop

JOIN US WEDNESDAY EVENINGS, starting Wednesday, March 4th at 6:30 pm in the Christian Education Wing Lounge.

The Bible study will be led by Bill and Yvonne Gasperetti and is a wonderful way to journey through Lent.

Mark your calendars for the next five Wednesdays:  March 4, 11, 18, 25, April 1 and be a part of this group.

Our study will be the Blackaby study of the book of James.

We have ordered the books to be available for the first study session

Dear St. Edward’s family,

While the Search Committee looked far and wide for a new rector, they found the person who fit our profile almost in our own back yard.  It is an honor to introduce to you the next rector of St. Edwards:   The Reverend Richard C. Bauer.

Father Rick has been serving as Associate Rector at St. James in Lancaster since June of 2018. As part of his ministry there, he has worked hard to lift up ministries in our community that promote the dignity of all people and has developed strong relationships with clergy women and men in our convocation and diocese.

Rick will soon finish course work for a Doctor of Ministry in Christian Leadership from Duke Divinity School.  As a student there, he has honed the craft of ministry with work in parish administration, strategic planning, multi-media practices, preaching in politically diverse contexts and outreach ministries.  In addition to his nearly completed doctorate, Rick holds a Master of Divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary; a Master of Arts in Religious Studies from Florida International University; and a B.S. in Legal Studies from Nova Southeastern University.

An accomplished musician (vocalist, guitarist, bassist, and keyboardist) Father Rick self-recorded and produced 9 full-length C.D.’s. and maintained a full-time performance schedule with “the Rick Bauer Band.”  Through his Roads to Rome Productions in Hollywood, Florida, he served for 15 years as an ordained non-denominational minister, proprietor, performer, booking agent, and producer.

Father Rick’s many academic awards during his years at Virginia Theological Seminary include an award for Christian Leadership, a Biblical Language Prize, an Award and Scholarship for Academic Excellence in Theology, a Scholarship for Academic Excellence and another for Theological Reflection, and a Doctoral Fellowship for Study: Catholic University, PhD. Religion and Culture.  Rick was a Florida Academic Scholar, 1993-1997 and completed his undergraduate education on a full academic scholarship.

In his free time, Rick engages his passions for study, travel, music, and family.  As an extension of his graduate work in Religious Studies, he seeks opportunities to engage different cultures, and, in fifteen trips abroad has explored many of the top world UNESCO sites,   Stonehenge including the Pyramids at Giza, the Vatican, the Taj Mahal, Machu Picchu, the Temple complexes at Angkor, and Chichen Itza.

Rick and his wife Katrina live right here in East Hempfield and are the proud parents of two sons, Richard and Christian, who attend Centerville Elementary School.

In his cover letter to the Search Committee, Rick wrote this:  “While I humbly aspire to faithfully approach Christ with a commitment to life-long learning, I feel called to do so in a context that allows for the cultivation of deep interpersonal relationships.  I believe that the Spirit is calling me to a vocation that allows for a greater degree of pastoral focus in ministry, where walking together in Christian community, where growing in faith and numbers, is rooted in knowing one another.”

I firmly believe that Father Rick is God’s answer to our prayer for new leadership at St. Edward’s.

Before closing, I want to acknowledge and thank the search committee;   Matthew Sternberg, Dottie Gschwend, Bill Swiernik, Peter Weber, Susan Landin, Seth Hake, and Beth Lynch for their tireless work in this 15 month process.  I am also deeply grateful to the vestry:  Julie Hoff, Junior Warden; Bill Swiernik, Mike Freshwater, Mark Jakiel, Ellen Milligan, Dina Ishler, Ginny Kloepping, and Herb Johnston for their time and energy and for making themselves available for countless planned and impromptu meetings.  Thanks also to Kevin Milligan for his financial expertise during our contract negotiations. Thank you to Father David for his experienced pastoral ministry during our transition.  Last, but not least, the wise and experienced counsel of Bishop Audrey Scanlan and The Rev. Canon Dan Morrow is greatly appreciated.

Father Rick’s first official Sunday at St. Edward’s will be on April 26.  I know you’ll join me in extending a warm and gracious St. Edward’s welcome to Father Rick, Katrina, Richard, and Christian.

Sincerely,

Meredith Westgate

Senior Warden

27 February 2020

Dear Clergy and Members of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania,

The arrival of the Coronavirus in the United States has prompted several of you to inquire about implications for our common life and worship in the Church.   I have consulted with our Diocesan Disaster and Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, Mr. Ed Robertson, and also with our Canon for Communications, Mrs. Alexis Guszick, who is in regular contact with her colleagues across the wider Church on this matter.

Here are facts about the Coronavirus (Covid-19):

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China. In recent weeks, the virus has spread from China to other countries.

• Symptoms of the disease are fever, cough, shortness of breath. If you are experiencing these symptoms, call your doctor immediately. Symptoms may appear between two to 14 days after exposure to the disease. It is spreading rapidly with cases     developing in many countries around the world.
• The disease is new so there is no vaccine at this time. Health professionals are still learning all of the ways that the disease is transmitted and who is most susceptible.
• There is little information about how the disease impacts pregnant women or the child in their womb.
• It is best to take precautions, especially if you have a weaker immune system, a history of respiratory issues or are over 70 years old. If identified early, the survival rate for this virus is high.

(from episcopalrelief.org)

At this time, common sense precautions are recommended- the same precautions that are in place during the cold and flu season:

• If you are sick, please stay home and take care of yourself. Call your church to let them know that you are ill and if you need any assistance during this time.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, scrubbing for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Episcopal Relief & Development (episcopalrelief.org) offers these additional guidelines for church communities and when we gather together for worship:

1. Encourage clergy to wash hands with soap and water before services and use hand sanitizer before distributing communion; also provide hand sanitizer for congregational use: a.) Communion: those who are ill should stay home; those who are concerned may abstain from communion or receive “in one kind” (host only); use of the common cup with proper purificator procedure presents relatively low risk; intinction should be avoided (see this document from the Diocese of New York during the SARS epidemic for more information on intinction and other liturgical practices) b.) Sharing of the Peace: waving is perfectly acceptable in place of shaking hands or hugging.
2. If desired by the congregation, adapt rituals to minimize personal contact.
3. Provide tissues and no-touch disposal receptacles for use.
4. Say a prayer during service for people who are ill and mail prayer cards to their homes.
5. Perform routine environmental cleaning in the sanctuary, kitchen hall, and other spaces where people gather.
6. Bolster outreach ministries to prepare to help low-income hourly workers who must call out of work. Encourage those     who may consider going to work for the sake of income to stay home because you can offer assistance.

If the virus becomes more widespread in our area, we will offer recommendations for alterations to our common practices that include gathering for worship and meetings, care of the vulnerable among us, and sacramental nurture during isolation. We will also address the role of the Church in society during a pandemic and best practices for serving as a community resource. Please know that our Diocesan Disaster and Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, Ed Robertson, is in regular contact with officials at Disaster Information Management Research Center at the National Institutes of Health and the National Voluntary Organizations Active In Disaster (VOAD) and he is prepared with plans for Continuing of Operations and procedures in the event of a large scale quarantine.

Please keep those who are sick across our world in your prayers, and those who care for them:

For the Sick

O God of heavenly powers,

by the might of your command

you drive away from our bodies

all sickness and all infirmity:

Be present in your goodness with

your servants that their weakness may

be banished and their strength restored; and that, their health being renewed,

they may bless your holy Name;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen. (BCP pg. 458, adapted)

For Doctors and Nurses

Sanctify, O Lord, those whom you have called to the study and practice of the arts of healing, and to the prevention of disease and pain. Strengthen them by

your life-giving Spirit, that by their ministries the health of the community

may be promoted and your creation glorified; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen. (BCP pg. 460)

In the Way of Love,

The Rt. Rev. Audrey C. Scanlan

XI Bishop

Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. This season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church. Thereby, the whole congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set forth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith.

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word…

(BCP pp 264-5)

21 February 2020

Dear Members of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania,

In just a few short days, we will gather in churches across our diocese on Ash Wednesday to hear words from our Book of Common Prayer inviting us to the observance of a holy Lent.

We will transition from the season of light and glory- Epiphany- in to the season of prayer, fasting, and reflection- Lent- and, working through a process of discipline, study and introspection, reconcile ourselves before the Lord and prepare for the paschal feast of Easter.

Lent offers us a time for deep soul work: We are given the opportunity to look with compassion at parts of us that are broken, to seek understanding, and to ask God to give us the tools to make us whole again; we are given the grace of time to focus on changes that we would like to make in order to live more harmoniously with our creation, each other, and our Creator; we are invited to draw from the well of Holy Scripture to find ancient wisdom for our modern lives; and we are really blessed to have this “time apart” to dwell on the gifts that God has given us and to pray for new insights for how to best use them.

Adopting new spiritual disciplines or refreshing old spiritual practices are important features of Lent. We may take on a new prayer practice, choose to read a book of the Bible that is new to us, give up a favorite food or activity, devote ourselves to service or mission- but these are not ends in themselves. The spiritual practices that we take on at Lent are vehicles of devotion for us to attain a deeper understanding of God and our relationship with God and each other.

This Lent, I will devote myself to fasting on one day of the week answering the call of our Presiding Bishop to join him in this spiritual practice as we pray for the “soul of our nation” https://episcopalchurch.org/posts/publicaffairs/lent-2020-call-prayer-fasting-and-repentance-leading-action, I will shift my morning spiritual practice from reading Morning Prayer to engage a period of Contemplative Prayer, and I will study in two areas: I will investigate the work of the Poor People’s Campaign, a revival of the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that is moving across our country and sounding a “national call for moral revival” https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/,

and I will participate in the study group offered by Mrs. Lisa Work and The Rev. Deacon Marsha Roscoe on the book by Mary Bea Sullivan, Living the Way of Love. For more information on the virtual group that is forming, click on this link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/WayOfLoveLentenBookGroup/

An additional resource that we are offering this year through our diocesan leadership is a daily reflection on the themes of our diocesan wide initiative Shaped by Faith: Change, Discovery, Experimentation, Collaboration, Creativity, and Faith. These reflections will be posted daily on our diocesan Facebook page and on our diocesan website.

As we continue in our diocese to discern how we are “Shaped by Faith,” working with our convocations to explore our vitality and to search for new ways that God is calling us to be Church, I pray that our own inner journeys during Lent will bring up in us the boldness and courage that we need to do this important work of re-shaping our diocese. I pray that our spiritual walk in the desert of Lent will yield an Eastertide for our diocese that is wildly abundant, fresh, and brimming with new life.

Join me. Join our diocese in a holy, holy Lent. Commit to a practice that will lead you into deep soul work, and allow God’s loving hand to shape you- shape us- by faith.

In the Way of Love,

The Rt. Rev. Audrey C. Scanlan

XI Bishop

Gracious Father, from whom comes all good and perfect gifts, as we continue in our search for our next rector,continue to bestow your love and spiritual strength to our Search Committee, and to the parish of St. Edward’s during our time of reflection, self revelation and strengthened community. Send down your love to the Search Committee as they continue on their journey entrusted to them by St. Edward’s. Keep us unified on our course, imbue us with the spiritual strength  to stand strong and discern well, give us wisdom as we continue our work to bring  a new Rector to lead us forward in our mission. We pray for God’s continued blessing upon our Community, that the endurance he has given to all of us during our time of transition may lead us to a happy conclusion as we seek to do His will in all that we undertake, or do, or say. 

Let us all remember the words our Savior has taught us, and lift up our voices in His prayer: Our Father, who are in Heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever, AMEN.

Your St. Edward’s Search Committee,

Dottie Gschwend, co-chair

Matthew Sternberg, co-chair

Seth Hake

Susan Landin

Beth Lynch

Bill Swiernik

Peter Weber