Updates from March 26, 2020

My Friends – 
 
I hope that you are all well.  
 
You will have seen Governor Baker’s order that closes the schools until May 4th, and you may have seen our Bishops’ March 25 covid-19 update, in which we are advised that we now plan for no in-person public worship services until May 31.  The Bishops also provide a number of liturgical resources for individuals at home. 
 
Both the Governor and the Bishops’ extensions have the intent of reducing exposure to the virus, but the extension of school closings and delaying public worship until Pentecost is a shift in thinking of isolation and social distancing in terms of months, rather than weeks.  
 
The prospect of continuing on as we are may be difficult, and the emotional impact of hearing this may give rise to anxiety and a certain sense of endlessness.  All of this is a normal response to an abnormal situation, and I can tell you that, eventually, distancing and isolation will end.  The precautions we are taking are our part to slow the spread of the virus, and ultimately to overcome it – we’ll get there.
 

• If you didn’t see it yesterday, I recommend that you go to MVTV.org and watch the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital’s Virtual Town Meeting on Channel 13.  Hospital CEO Denise Schepici and Dr. Aletheia Donohue presented an update on the Hospital’s preparedness and what their procedures for treating the coronavirus.

 

• Regarding worship services at Grace Church, Morning Prayer will be on our website this Sunday and Palm Sunday.  I am hopeful that we can make Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services from elsewhere in the Diocese Friday available through our website, and I would like to convene the Liturgy Committee to talk about our Easter services and beyond.

 

• We continue to offer our daily Zoom conference call at noon.  To join, click the link https://zoom.us/j/900622521Meeting ID: 900 622 521 OR dial +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) and enter the following meeting number:  Meeting ID: 900 622 521

 

• I would like to offer a Zoom education course on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was a Lutheran theologian, WWII Resistance member, and author of “Life together”, “The Cost of Discipleship”, “Ethics”, and “Letters and Papers from Prison”.   Bonhoeffer was murdered by the Nazis on April 6, 1945.  

 
Please email me at rector@graceepiscopalmv.org  if this is of interest to you and I will send you the syllabus.  Day and time tba; the first assignment is to watch the movie “Bonhoeffer” (2003) on Amazon Prime.
 
As always, please call the Parish office at 508 693-0332, if you would like someone to run an errand for you or if that there is something that we can provide.
 
In the meantime, stay safe, and God bless you,
 
Stephen+