Dear St. Edward’s parishioners,
Alleluia! Christ is risen. Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
This may be strangest Easter any of us will ever live through. Not only have we not been able to gather and celebrate in person, but we are experiencing Easter at a time of great fear and human suffering. It’s important that we acknowledge our fears for ourselves and those we love as well as our concern for the many others who are exhaustedly trying to hold together our health care system, public order and our supply of basic needs.
But still, it’s Easter. The Resurrection never changes and never goes away. The Resurrection isn’t a gift for a comfortable, ideal world. It is a gift for a broken world, a world of suffering and even dying. So maybe this year the proclamation of the Resurrection is more important than ever.
In any case, we will celebrate it, and we will celebrate it for 50 days.
We’ll just do so differently.
Speaking of which, all our attention has been focused on how we were going to mark Holy Week and Easter in worship. Now that they are behind us, what lies ahead?
First of all, there is one more Sunday in which I will still be here as your Interim Rector. So on April 19th St. Edward’s will have an online service in which I will preach a farewell sermon. We had planned some sort of coffee hour reception farewell for that day, but of course that can’t happen now.
After that, Father Rick will be on board and he is already planning for regular weekly online services beginning April 26th for as long as they may be necessary. We have beefed up our internet capabilities at the church and Fr. Rick has experience in video production and editing. So we’ll be having regular internet services while we continue to shelter in place.
As of now, the Bishop’s suspension of services in our church buildings lasts until the end of May. There’s some optimism that we may not have to extend beyond that. We’ll certainly be announcing as soon as we know when we can begin gathering at church again.
Also, Fr. Rick has proposed an interesting idea. It turns out that he was not able to have a farewell event from St. James. So we are thinking about picking a Sunday later this summer in which I might return for one final good-bye while that same day Fr. Rick has his official farewell at St. James. We’ll see if we can work it out.
May Resurrection blessings be upon us all,
David +
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A personal note from Dina Ishler:
One of my first (long overdue) projects while self-isolating was packing up and putting away my nativity set. I lingered over my sheep figurine as I gently wrapped it in tissue paper. Two tiny lambs huddle close to its side, looking up with trust and love.
I was reminded anew that we are the sheep and our Good Shepherd walks with us always, lovingly caring for us, keeping us from danger and promising to bring us safely home.
“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.”
~John 10: 14-15.
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So, maybe you are just itching to “get away” but, oops, we can’t! Here are some virtual tours of UNESCO World Heritage sites that you might enjoy.
Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, China
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oovURIu4040
Machu Picchu in Peru
https://www.youvisit.com/tour/machupicchu/80561?tourid=tour4&pl=f
Tour the Sydney Opera House in 360° | Featuring soprano Nicole Car and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hunddVoMjo