Dear members of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania,
As we enter the fifth month of the COVID-19 pandemic in our region, I write to you with words of gratitude and encouragement; gratitude for your faithfulness in this time, and encouragement to persevere- to “run with patience the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12: 1-2). I am so proud of how we have been finding ways to continue worshipping and serving as the Body of Christ understanding that the sacrifices that we make at this time are for the good of the whole, and that even the simplest of measures like wearing a mask in public are ways to express our Christian faith as we “love our neighbors as ourselves.” (Mark 12: 31, Matthew 22:40, Luke 10:27). From what I have been reading in the newspapers and receiving in briefings from our Diocesan Disaster and Emergency Coordination Ed Robertson, we have a long road before us. About ¾ of our churches have resumed worshiping in their buildings using the guidelines of the Operations Task Force. This is a critical time in which we cannot let our guard down. We cannot become lax about protective measures, and we need to respect the insidious nature of this disease by staying vigilant. Please wear your masks in church unless you are speaking in the role of lector, intercessor or officiant. Please refrain from greeting your fellow congregants with a hug. Please understand that while we may be able to gather in a churchyard for a time of fellowship, that social distancing is still required. If you are a church leader who needs support in maintaining these protocols, please call my office and we will help you. Safety must come first.
Most of our congregations have been able to provide on-line worship for their parishioners in these recent months. Others that do not have the capacity or bandwidth for producing videos or whose congregants do not have easy access to the internet have been diligent about making phone calls and developing prayer chains and card ministries. Stewardship among those who pledge has remained high, and I know that all of our leaders are grateful for this continued support of the work of the church. Many of our churches have suffered lost income from those who do not pledge but give faithfully “in the plate” and cannot do so now, and all of our churches are have been forced to re-think fund raisers that in the past have depended on community participation and patronage. Please do continue, as you are able, to support your parish; your faithful stewardship is greatly appreciated. If you prefer to donate on-line, the diocese does offer a secure on-line giving platform that allows you to choose the parish recipient. For more information, visit https://diocesecpa.org/stewardship/
Our clergy are working hard. I have been impressed with the ways that they have adapted to online platforms, are experimenting with new venues of social media, recording and “broadcasting.” It has been exciting to watch. Our parishes are hosting on-line bible studies, coffee hours, men’s and women’s groups, teen chats, book groups, talent shows, discernment groups, and worship around the clock- Morning Prayer, Noonday Prayer, Evening Prayer and Compline. Clergy continue to offer pastoral care over the phone and zoom and, for care in extremis, home visits. While restricted to small congregations, the pastoral work of funerals, burials, baptisms and weddings have continued. Now that many of us are returning to worship in the buildings, clergy are both re-engaging in their worship spaces and offering online services as well. For some, this means producing two different events on a Sunday. As a way to offer some respite care, the diocesan staff will be creating pre-recorded worship services for the second and fourth Sunday of each month in July, August and September. These will be posted on the diocesan website by Friday night of the weekend for which they are scheduled. I hope that they will received in the spirit in which they are intended- to serve as an option for clergy who, otherwise, would need to produce a second service. The Rev. Canon Chris Streeter is taking the lead on this project and we hope to continue offering online services in the fall as an effort of our convocations working through the Shaped by Faith project. I hope that you will encourage your clergy to take time this summer for rest and refreshment. While physical vacation plans may need to change, the need for sabbath continues.
I have been meeting with our clergy on Tuesday mornings for the past several months and will continue to do so through the end of July. I have been releasing short videos for our diocese on Friday mornings and will also continue those through the end of July. I will also continue my monthly blog on the first Friday of each month. The videos and the blog are always able to be accessed through the diocesan website: www.diocesecpa.org. When I return from my time away in August, I will reassess the communications strategy from my office in the time of this pandemic.
Finally, beloved, keep on saying your prayers. The best way that I know to move through this time is to do so with God at our side, and to continue sharing with our Holy Source, Companion and Comforter, the joys and anxieties of this time. Here are two prayers that I have used regularly that still my soul.
Keep us, good Lord, under the shadow of your mercy. Sustain and support the anxious, be with those who care for the sick, and lift up all who are brought low; that we may find comfort knowing that nothing can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Gloucester Cathedral, England
This is another day, O Lord. I know not what it will bring forth, but make me ready, Lord, for whatever it may be. If I am to stand up, help me to stand gravely. If I am to sit still, help me to sit quietly. If I am to lie low, help me to do it patiently. And if I am to do nothing, let me do it gallantly. Make these words more than words, and give me the Spirit of Jesus. Amen.
Book of Common Prayer pg.461
In the Way of Love,
The Rt. Rev. Audrey C. Scanlan
XI Bishop
