In-person worship and meetings meet in different ways through 3/28

March 12, 2020 

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today I received the following from our bishops:… for a period of at least two weeks starting this weekend, including the next two Sundays, we are directing all of our churches to suspend all in-person worship. The two-week minimum time span is significant as it matches the known incubation period for the virus following exposure. As we approach Sunday, March 29, we will evaluate the situation and determine whether it is recommended and advisable for public services to resume.

All non-worship gatherings are also to be cancelled, postponed or moved online.

Exceptions to the moratorium on gatherings include funerals and life-giving ministries such as food pantries and shelter.

This means we will not have in-person worship on March 15 and 22, at a minimum. We will have periodic video offerings available through Facebook Live. You can find those via All Saints’ Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AllSaintsEpiscopalConcord/. These live events will be announced via the app to let you know when you can tune in. Recordings of these videos will then be posted on our feed in case you weren’t able to watch it live. Please know that you don’t have to have a Facebook account to watch. Just click the link above, and just say no to invitations to join Facebook.

We will not have in-person meetings during this time, and I ask that you observe both the law and the spirit of this and refrain from simply scheduling meetings in other locations. Please look for a follow-up communication with options for online worship, resources for worship at home and ways to have online meetings or “zoom” meetings. 
These sweeping steps are in line with choices other organizations are making. While it is true that going forward we will live with this virus as a part of the various viruses we are exposed to, no one currently has an immunity. The goal of proactive measures is to slow down the rate of infection so that the healthcare system does not become overwhelmed (you may have heard “flattening the curve—this is what that means).
People of faith are called to protect one another, particularly the most vulnerable among us. While we can’t  stop  the spread, we can slow it, thus saving lives and helping our health care system remain effective. The image below has been helpful to understand what is at stake. 

The bishops have also suspended Lay Eucharistic Visits and directed that pastoral visits will be made only by clergy. In-person pastoral visits are to be curtailed as much as possible. Thankfully, we are blessed by the ministry of our deacons and with the assistance of The Reverend Jim Bernacki who has been providing additional pastoral care at All Saints’.

I have been in contact with Families First who uses the Education Wing for weekday preschool in the Lockhart Center. They will be following the guidance of the Cabarrus Health Alliance and Cabarrus County Schools. 
As I said previously, this situation is fluid and evolving. I encourage each of you to care for yourselves. While we will not be meeting in person, we can care for one another in a variety of ways. I ask that ministry leaders, in particular, be in touch with those on their teams to ensure that we remain connected and supportive.  Looking to the future, the Presiding Bishop offered “ The next 30-60 days at the least are simply going to be unlike anything we have experienced in recent history…The dilemma of what we know and what we don’t know will continue to complicate our decision making and our lives.” 

I am particularly aware that there are many who cannot simply wait this out. They are on the front lines and will be dealing with this disease, person by person. Please pray for those in our healthcare system, and remember that all of these steps are ways we put our prayer in action. 
We are and will continue to be, the people of God, following Jesus in God’s mission to save the world God loves so much. 

Here are a few links for additional information:

The Rt. Rev. Michael Curry’s statement,

Bishops Sam Rodman and Anne Hodges-Copple’s statement,

and a very helpful article recommended by one of our own medical professional parishioners.

Please contact me with any concerns. Faithfully, 

Nancy+