Afternoon update, March 21, 2020

My Friends –
 
Congratulations to each of you for making it through the first week of closed schools and social distancing!
 
I write to remind you that our service tomorrow will be here on our website.  Please join us here and not in church.  Thank you to Wes Nagy, Jan Hyer, Annie Palches, Akia Sharp Barbosa, and John Hickey for being the Choir, and to Karen Huff for being videographer and editor for the service!
 
Bishop Gates has issued another update on the coronavirus, which can be found by clicking here.  As you will read, all in-person public worship services for Holy Week and Easter Sunday will not be held this year because of the coronavirus situation.  I know this is disappointing, but there are still things we can do to celebrate the Resurrection and new life. Plans are already underway for various online options for Holy Week and Easter Day.
 
Please note Bishop Gates’ advice that the situation is changing rapidly. This is normal for the situation that we’re in and we’ll adapt, as we have been doing, to any new situation as it arises.
 
Common sense would suggest that, without panic and without hoarding, now may be a good time to make sure that you have enough food, supplies, and medications for you, your family, and your pets.
 
Thanks to our band of intrepid volunteers, Grace Church provided fifteen takeout meals to members of our community last night.   Our plan is to finish out our Community Supper season by offering the same drive-through takeout plan next Friday.  Many thanks to Leslie, Bo, Jennifer, Lily, and Hannah for making this happen and for your help!
 
I would like to thank our Sexton, Chris Berry, for his outstanding job in keeping all our surfaces disinfected and clean – thank you Chris!
 
I will be thinking of all of you tomorrow, and God bless you.
 
Stephen+