[Magdalen] Diocese decisions: "re-gathering"

[cady soukup]

Thank you Grace,

Bishop Goff's letters are many-layered! (And I am having difficulties
with the links in the letters.)

The online version:
http://www.thediocese.net/news/letter-from-the-bishops-regarding-phased-re-gathering-in-church-buildings/

Bishop Goff just sent out another email referencing a video, but I am
unable to access it (due to the links not working as noted above).
Personally, I find learning more and talking through the "sticky bits"
prior to engaging those with Decided Opinions assists me in responding
to difficult questions.

Cady
delighted that we finally have a sunny day!

On 5/15/20, Grace Cangialosi <gracecan at gmail.com> wrote:
> Cady,
> Bishop Goff has also sent out an update letter as of this week. I'm sending
> that to my congregation.  Maybe you'd like to share it here...
>
> On Fri, May 15, 2020 at 9:05 AM cady soukup <cadyasoukup at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> To be clearer about the current status in DioVA:
>>
>> On April 8, Bishop Susan sent a letter:
>>
>> " After Easter Day, beginning on Easter Monday, April 13, a new
>> sacrifice will be required of us. In light of Governor Northam’s
>> executive order, and in the face of news that the coronavirus has not
>> yet peaked in Virginia, we need to stay home. To this end, your
>> bishops have determined, in consultation with the Standing Committee,
>> that after Easter Day, clergy and lay leaders may no longer
>> live-stream or record services from church buildings. As followers of
>> the crucified and risen Lord, we care about others. We care about our
>> communities, both local and global, and so we make sacrifices for
>> their well-being. We care as well for our clergy and other leaders and
>> want them to stay healthy so that they can offer leadership and
>> support to congregations until the Governor’s order is lifted. We make
>> this additional sacrifice on behalf of God’s people, particularly the
>> most vulnerable. Because we do it for others, it is an act of love,
>> and our sacrifices done in love draw us close to the heart of God. "
>>
>> Our church virtual worship has featured our rectory's garden, back
>> deck, and living room, with safe distance practices in place. Our
>> church has been investigating options for replacing our aging
>> electronic organ, several organ companies have wanted to conduct site
>> visits, they have been told they cannot visit until the church
>> buildings are open. Our building is used by other community groups,
>> all those events have been cancelled.
>>
>> We have a "Pastoral Care" team which has become our "Contact and
>> Cherish" team (24 people!) who are reaching out to parishioners -
>> local and non-local - by phone, postcard, and letter. They have done a
>> wonderful job, led by a retired public school teacher. Warden and
>> vestry meetings are by zoom. All church announcements are by email.
>> Our annual parish meeting features reports and voting (for vestry
>> members) by email. We are fortunate to have a predominantly
>> internet-savvy parish, with able assistance of family members and
>> personal phone calls for those who are not savvy.
>>
>> The Virginia opening today is "phase one" for all but northern
>> Virginia (health districts) where COVID-19 cases continue to increase.
>> Phase one still has restrictions.
>>
>> https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/governor-of-virginia/pdf/Slide-deck-5.8.2020-Forward-Virginia-Phase-One.pdf
>>
>> As an older person with an autoimmune disease, who had 3 increasingly
>> nasty viruses this past winter (what an awful winter it was!), I plan
>> to continue to self quarantine. I am very, very lucky to be able to
>> work full-time from home (as I have for the past 3 years).
>>
>> Oh dear, I had hoped this would be a short email and here I am
>> nattering away - you'd think I missed talking to people! I do!!
>>
>> gentle hugs - good hopes - many prayers - Cady
>> waiting for the hummingbirds to arrive in the wilds of Virginia
>>
>
>
> --
> Grace Cangialosi
> Ruckersville, VA
>
> *"Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great
> love."*
> *St. Teresa of Calcutta*
>