Dear People of God and St. Edward’s,
This pandemic is clearly going to be longer and more trying than many of us imagined. We are being warned that the number of cases and deaths from COVID-19 will almost certainly skyrocket over the coming weeks.
Life is going to become more restricted and difficult even than it is now. Many more, even in Lancaster County, will become sick and many will die.
In the meantime, all diocesan churches, including St. Edward’s, will remain closed at least until the end of May. We will suffer the pain of not seeing one another and the loss of not being able to worship as we are accustomed. Circumstances have deprived us of one of our main sources of strength and comfort.
But in difficult times we get down to basics and remember who we are what we do. We are Christians. We are a praying people. We serve and love others as we believe God serves and loves them. We belong to Jesus, and this never changes.
David +
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We are sad to report that long-time parishioner, Kate Peterson, died yesterday. It is not possible to have public funerals now, so either there will be a funeral several months from now or there will be a private graveside service with only one or a handful of people. Plans have not yet been made. If there is to be a public service, we will announce it in the future when the details become known. May her soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace.
David +
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Vestry Bios: Please read the vestry bios that have been submitted for the 3 openings for the new term. These are being submitted for the parish to view, in accordance with our by-laws. We thank the 3 parishioners who have put their names forward to be a part of this vital and important ministry of service to St. Edward’s.
Catherine Donohue
I am a life-long Episcopalian who has attended Episcopal churches in each town and state in which I have lived. My husband and I have attended St. Edward’s regularly, from the first week we moved to East Petersburg in January of 1999. Our four children were aged 2,4,7 and 8 years old when we arrived and now they are all grown, have moved away and we are enjoying being a family of two again. Over the 21 years in this congregation I have served as a Sunday school teacher, children’s chapel leader and a coffee hour hostess. This past fall, I was asked by Fr. David to serve on the Stewardship Committee and am pleased to do so. Now I find myself asked to serve as a vestry member, and after prayerful consideration am willing to step forward to serve to the best of my ability. May we all grow together in God’s grace!
Beth Lynch
St. Edward’s became a regular part of my life in the Spring of 2015. It is here at this place of worship that I was received into the Episcopal Church and that Bruce and I had our marriage blessed. St. Edward’s has become a pivotal part of my life. I find the parishioners welcoming, warm-hearted and profoundly generous with their gifts. I am currently the chair of the Social Outreach Ministry and a Lay Eucharist Minister. I just completed a 15-month stint on the Discernment Committee.
I have been in the world of education, recreation and athletics my entire working career. I am currently a substitute teacher in the Lancaster Area. I also work for GEARS (Greater Elizabethtown Area Recreation Services) as the Director of the Camp Lady Bug and the creator/counselor of the following summer camps: Harry Potter, Pokémon and Do-It-Yourself. I thoroughly enjoy my family, Bruce and James and have a close relationship with my 4 brothers and 3 sisters. I enjoy reading, crafts, sports spectating and walking. I look forward to serving the people of St. Edward’s as a member of vestry.
Virginia Kloepping (Ginny)
I grew up in New York City and have attended the Episcopal church all my life.
Educated in NYC public schools followed by a BA in political science at Thomas More College (Fordham).
Most of my work experience has been in the insurance industry in the commercial underwriting side at the company level and underwriting manager on the agency side. I also worked in real estate when we lived in Pittsburgh.
Through the various churches, I was involved in a variety of areas, bazaars, rummage sales, cookie sales, greeting, coffee hour, treasurer (at small church), ECW, altar guild.
We have been attending St. Edward’s since 2003 and have been involved in Greeting, Coffee Hour, Landscape design and maintenance of bushes and small trees, Altar Flowers for Christmas and Easter, Memorial Garden Committee, Recent fill-in for Vestry opening and I would like to serve a full term.
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LENTEN MEDITATION – Monday, March 30, 2020
Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
– The Book of Common Prayer
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After the first day of school, my daughter informed me that she was in the “good class.” I asked what she meant by “good.” “Oh,” she replied. “Just that, like, the kids who don’t behave are in the other room.” I was glad she was in the well-behaved class but not so sure about that easy condemnation. I responded with the suggestion: “How about saying the class with ‘better-behaved kids.’ It’s not like you have better-quality human beings than the other classes.” I don’t know if she heard the difference in what I was saying, but it was worth a shot. I wanted her to hear that behavior doesn’t determine worthiness-of-life and that there are no limits on human dignity.
To respect the dignity of every human being is not to say that everyone is okay and that we’re all basically good. It means recognizing that we are all both broken and beloved and that nobody ever gets thrown away. Particularly in the season of Lent, we are invited to look inward and see our own quixotic impulses: We may be generous one day and selfish another, willfully ignorant on one question but adventurous and curious on another. God never gives up on us. May we have the courage and strength not to give up on each other either.
– Sara Irwin is an Episcopal priest serving as pastor of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, married to Noah Evans and mother of their two children.