[Magdalen] Diocese decisions: "re-gathering"

[Mahoney, W. Michael]

My reactions are rather different than those of my friend and fellow
parishioner, Cady.  I find it all very annoying.

Under Bishop Goff's rule, our rector may not walk two blocks down an empty
street, enter a locked building that has been empty for a week, and stream
a prayer service from our historic and beautiful church.

Why?  "We care about others", the Bishop says.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Potomac, the National Cathedral streams
Eucharists every Sunday.  The Bishop of Washington has been a celebrant and
our Presiding Bishop has delivered a sermon (albeit in his case,
remotely).  Surely, they care about others , too.

The Bishop's restrictions are not necessary.  Our rector may, under the
Governor's orders, play golf,or go a liquor store, office supply store,
nursery, and food market, among other places.

There is no inherent virtue in "staying home" other than as a way to avoid
contact with other people.

Now we are told that our Bishop will require each of her 183 parishes to
submit reopening plans to her office for approval.

Good Lord, deliver us.


Mike M



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
>