A Message from Fr. Gary
3/13/2020
Dear Good Shepherd family,
As I implied in my email yesterday, the sands beneath our feet are shifting quickly. A few hours after my email, Bishop Kym sent out a communication asking that all congregations of the Episcopal Church in Colorado put public worship (and other gatherings) on hiatus until the end of March. (That communication from the bishop can be found below.) We will comply with that request. There will be no Sunday gatherings beginning this-coming Sunday, March 15, and continuing through (at least) March 29. (Who knew “Beware the Ides of March” would take on this meaning!)
This is news you may have been anticipating, especially given Gov. Polis’ declaration of a “state of emergency”, the cancellation of significant sporting events in the state (and beyond), and the closing of schools and colleges. We—as a diocese and congregation—have weighed, and prayed over, all of the options. BUT, as you well know, we need to be responsible for each other’s health (as well as our own). We need, too, to be good citizens and help, as we can, decrease the spread of COVID-19. As you no-doubt have heard, “social distancing” is one effective way of helping in that regard, hence the cancelling of services.
We all know how disruptive this is. Plans that have been made will have to be altered. Meetings will have to be cancelled, or conducted differently (more on that in a minute). But, most importantly, our personal connections with one another—part of what it is to be “Church”, as well as our corporate worship experiences, are significantly interrupted. “Social distance”, however, does not mean “social isolation”. Nor does the cancelling of “public worship” mean no “common worship”. To that end (in addition to things that we’ve already sent out), we will put technology to the test:
1. It is our intention to live-stream Morning Prayer for the next three weeks. Details are still be ironed out, and we will send out instructions as soon as we can. We aren’t certain what time the service will be held, probably 9am. It is my hope that we’ll be able to “save” it, so that you may be able to access it later that day, or beyond. While congregational singing will be absent, I hope to have some instrumental music as part of the service.
I realize that Morning Prayer may not be familiar for many of you. This will provide an opportunity to become acquainted with one of the glorious services of Anglicanism which, for many reasons, has fallen into dis-use in many parishes. We will make available a pdf of the service so that you can be a participant rather than just an observer.
2. We are working on a “ZOOM subscription”. ZOOM is a cross-platform program that makes possible virtual meetings (including live-streaming of worship). For those groups and committees in the church that want (or need) to continue meeting during this hiatus, ZOOM will be available to you. More information on that will come out soon.
These are challenging times! But challenges bring opportunities. We will be learning new ways of being “church”. Technology may bring us together in ways that timing and/or distance have prevented in the past. We will be challenged to overcome “social distance” with increased phone calls, emails and/or written (gasp!) communications!
Know that there will be more coming from me and the Church in the next few days and weeks (especially with regard to Sunday worship). In the meantime (and, I suppose this is a “mean” time!), may we remember that we are people of faith, not of fear. Our Lord Jesus Christ triumphed over death and the grave; we can triumph over COVID-19 and the disruption to our worship schedule.
In addition, we can—corporately AND individually—bear witness to our confidence that “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8.36-38).
Know that if you have questions or concerns, you can call or email me. And, given these “new days”, we can always use FaceTime or Skype!
Be well, and safe, beloved.
Fr. Gary
A Message from Fr. Gary
3/12/2020
Dear Good Shepherd family,
These, indeed, are times that try men’s (and women’s) souls! The news swirling around the COVID-19 pandemic and various responses (and non-responses) has ALL of us anxious—understandably. Whether it's worry about our own, or loved-ones’, health, or the larger impact that the pandemic has on global markets, or the scapegoating of Asians, these are concerning times. I have to trust that we all have our various resources to which we turn for good, accurate information on how to take proper precautions to lessen chances of infection. [In case you are casting about for such information, please see the resources that the Episcopal Church in Colorado has compiled:
You have probably seen news from around the country of large events being cancelled (including the rest of the NBA season!). Several Episcopal dioceses (on both coasts) have asked their congregations to suspend any church services for the time being. We are not at that point yet. I do want to address, however, our common life at Good Shepherd. I want to let you know what we have done and/or will do, and what we might do. Our congregational response is framed (although not entirely governed) by guidance from our Bishop. In this regard, it is a reminder that we are part of the Episcopal Church in Colorado; we are not the only Episcopal congregation in Colorado. Earlier this week, Bishop Kym sent out (very similar) communications to (first) clergy and wardens, and (second) to everyone on the diocesan mailing list. Our responses are in bold.
Bishop's Top Ten on Epidemic Preparedness
Dear Siblings in Christ,
I’m grateful for the expertise of our medical professionals and those who are diligently working to respond to the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). I encourage everyone to continue to be loving and practice healthy habits. The following list is meant to be helpful checklist for our churches to reduce the risk of spreading the flu, colds, and other potential viruses.
1. Wash your Hands! Remind your staff and parishioners to wash their hands often with soap and water correctly. Additionally, provide signage to everyone entering your building encouraging them to visit a washroom to wash their hands upon arrival. We are doing this!
2. Refrain from touch. You may share the Peace of the Lord with eye contact, a warm smile, a bow of your head, a wave, or an elbow bump. We recommended this last week!
3. Remind your staff and congregation to stay away from work, school, or church activities if they are feeling unwell. Please be sensible about this! Stay home if you’re not feeling well!
4. Communion “in one kind” constitutes full and sufficient communion, so churches and individuals may elect to simply receive the bread and not the wine. Clergy may elect to only offer bread at the rail as long as the chalice is offered at a separate station for those who want to opt in. We will continue to offer the chalice, as suggested here. BUT, please remember that receiving the bread alone is perfectly fine! We have suspended use of ceramic altar-ware, using only silver/brass. You should know, too, that we are changing the kind of communion wine we use, from the standard sweetened rosé to a fortified port; the higher alcohol content of the port adding some antiseptic qualities to the wine.
5. Intinction, (dipping the bread into the cup), poses a risk when multiple hands are dipping into the common cup. Churches should discontinue this practice during this season. We are suspending the practice of intinction. your choices are either (a) bread alone; or (b) common cup.
6. Hand sanitizer should be available at church entrances and in the chancel, either purchased products or homemade sanitizer. We have tried to make hand sanitizer available in multiple places, either as pump-bottles, or individual hand-wipes. You are, of course, welcome to bring your own!
7. Holy Water should be removed from all fonts. This has been done!
8. Eucharistic visits should be suspended. Please consider sending cards or making phone calls so that shut-ins and others at risk are assured of our love and care. We have suspended home eucharistic visits for the time being. We are investigating alternatives in addition to the “cards and phone-calls” suggested by the Bishop. In addition, in accordance with guidance from the Office of the Bishop, all non-essential pastoral visits are “on hold”; we will be in touch by phone (or Facetime/Skype).
9. Offering plates should be placed at the back of the church or at another convenient place instead of being passed. For those counting monetary offerings, they should wear gloves and sanitize offering plates after use. We will have the offering plates on tables at the back of the church; please leave your tithes/offerings in those plates. They will be presented, as usual, at the offertory.
10. Commonly touched places should be sanitized such as door handles, the altar rail, the backs of pews, table surfaces, elevator buttons, etc. We will do as much as we can in this regard, recognizing that, given the heavy use our building experiences, it would be impossible
Holy God, giver of life and health: Comfort and relieve the sick across the world, that they may be strengthened in their weakness and have confidence in your loving care. Sanctify those you have called to the study and practice of the arts of healing and the prevention of disease and pain, that they may be strengthened by your life-giving Spirit. Make these words more than words, and provide us peace and comfort; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Faithfully,
Bishop Kym Lucas
As I said above, these are our responses to this point. Clearly we have made some changes from last week (i.e., discontinuing intinction altogether). There may be more changes to come as we, the diocese/state, and nation continue to address this situation.
I close with a communication from my friend, Canon Carl Andrews (former Canon to the Ordinary). His suggestions about "configuring our worship to be electronically capable to provide worship experiences for those who are homebound or self-quarantined” are guiding some of what the staff is currently addressing as well. I particularly commend the prayer at the end, should you choose (or it be necessary) not to attend services.
A Message from the Rev. Canon Carl Andrews,
Disaster Response Director for the Episcopal Church in Colorado
Siblings in Christ,
It is a very confusing time we live in and one that is full of opportunities for new ministry that we never dreamed about yesterday. In my role, as one giving recommendations during this COVID-19 epidemic, I suggest we as parishes/mission/special congregations, start configuring our worship to be electronically capable to provide worship experiences for those who are homebound or self-quarantined.
When we know someone who is homebound/quarantined, they need to be in our prayers and in our actions as we reach out by email/phone/cards/letters. We can also leave those gifts on the doorstep having made previous arrangements with them.
As a commitment of faith we need to heed the direction from Episcopal Relief and Development:
· Combat fear with knowledge in order to encourage preparedness and decrease stigma.
· Maintain operational continuity and continue worship life in the case of potential quarantine and disruption.
· Show God’s compassion and care to those in our communities who are affected.
The way we can care for others is to continue washing our hands and coughing/sneezing into our elbows. Additionally, as we arrive for worship we should wash our hands and limit our contact with elbow or fist bumping, or bowing to others during the Peace.
It appears that social distancing is in the future within many more communities, therefore we owe it to those around us that if we feel sick, we stay home. We should seek medical direction if we continue to feel sick, having called our providers ahead of time before we arrive.
Rectors/vicars/chaplains, if you have parishioners that are planning weddings in the near future, please get in touch as it may be wise not to have all of the out-of-town guests present. Additionally for burials, there are ways to minimizes social interaction if the deceased was infected.
Here is the prayer that you might want to use from the Prayer book for Armed Forces (Episcopal 1988): When You Cannot Attend Worship. It includes this prayer:
In union, O Lord, with your faithful people at every altar of your Church, where the Holy Eucharist is now being celebrated. I desire to offer you praise and thanksgiving. I remember your death, Lord Christ; I proclaim your resurrection; I await your coming in glory. And since I cannot receive you today in the Sacrament of your Body and Blood, I beseech you to come spiritually into my heart. Cleanse and strengthen me with your grace, Lord Jesus, and let me never be separated from you. May I live in you, and you in me, in this life and the life to come. Amen.
If you have any questions or concerns, please be in touch with me.
Many blessings;
CMA+
The Reverend Canon Carl M. Andrews
Disaster Response Director for the Episcopal Church in Colorado
Partner in Response and Resilience; US Disaster Program
Episcopal Relief and Development
Chaplain, Colonel, USAF (ret)
Cell: 720-635-1245
Email: Carl@EpiscopalColorado.org
Please remember that your health and safety, as well as those with whom you might come in contact, are to be held uppermost.
Let us each continue in prayer for one another, for the church at large, for the nation and world. You are certainly in my prayers! Together we will weather this, with God’s grace, and we can, and will, come out stronger!
Blessings,
Fr. Gary
A Message from Fr. Gary
3/2/2020
Dear people of Good Shepherd,
The news surrounding the outbreak, and spread, of the Corona virus has understandably concerned us all. Preventative measures are being taken around the world. Additionally, there is concern among members of dioceses/churches—including us in the Episcopal Church in Colorado, and at Good Shepherd.
Regarding the Corona Virus or COVID-19
We are watching closely the news and updates about the Corona virus, or COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization both expect Covid-19 to spread through communities in the U.S. Good Shepherd will be using these guidelines to decrease risk and also to encourage confidence during this time.
Let us be neither apathetic nor fearful as we navigate this season.
Go to Church!
As long as you are feeling well and have not been in conscious contact with persons and places of known exposure to the virus, then continue to worship as usual. Take the normal precautions if you or a family member is ill (i.e. stay home), whether it is with this year's nasty flu, a stomach bug, a fever, or this new virus.
The Passing of the Peace
A handshake is not mandated by the Church, and is especially discouraged during this time. Verbally share the Peace of the Lord with those around you. Make eye contact, slightly bow your head, try an “elbow-bump”, or offer a friendly wave.
The Holy Eucharist
It is not sacramentally necessary to receive both the bread and the wine in order to make a full communion. A worshiper’s individual health needs may preclude taking either the bread or the wine at any time. Jesus is fully in the bread and fully in the wine.
The Common Cup
Medical experts agree ( and have for many years) that the danger of transmitting communicable diseases by sharing a chalice is negligible. History has borne this out and we still highly encourage this ancient liturgical practice.
Intinction (dipping the bread into the cup), however, poses a greater potential threat, especially when the bread is handled with unwashed hands of persons receiving the host and then dipping it themselves in the chalice. Therefore, we will discontinue this practice during this period. Please follow these guidelines, beginning this Sunday:
Drinking from the common cup is the most sanitary way to receive communion in both kinds.
If you do not want to drink from the common cup, please do not intinct or dip the wafer in the common cup yourself.
Intinction will be available using the intinction plates only, and the clergy or Lay Eucharistic Ministers will be the only people to handle the consecrated host. If you choose to receive by intinction, please by-pass those distributing the host, and go directly to the intinction stations. The LEMs will pick up the host, dip it and place it on your tongue.
Know that it is acceptable not to receive the cup or the wine in any way. You have received the full blessing of communion when you receive the consecrated bread alone.
Eucharistic Ministers will review best practices every Sunday, and, along with clergy, will wash hands before the service and also use anti-bacterial alcohol-based cleanser before serving communion.
As long as we all use common sense we will be able to navigate this well. If a member of our congregation does fall ill, please remember them in your prayers. We will revise these practices as needed for Good Shepherd, and they will continue for as long as the CDC believes this is a medical emergency.
We add to all of this these common sense, health-expert advised practices for all people in our daily life and work:
Frequent, effective hand-washing (for a minimum of 20 seconds with soap—the time it takes to sing/hum “Happy Birthday to you!”)
Staying home when sick
Covering your mouth when sneezing or coughing (using a tissue or elbow instead of hands)
Related Information: What follows below is more information about how we are to be in the world during a medical emergency. Please read it if it is helpful to you.
First, let us be aware that events, such as a new outbreak, can lead to a rise in xenophobia and racism. Let us be careful in our words, assumptions, and conversations that we do not perpetuate ignorance or stereotype persons who are Asian.
Second, Episcopal Relief and Development reminds us that during any medical emergency our role as churches and compassionate Christians includes these things:
Combat fear with knowledge, encourage preparedness and decrease stigma;
Maintain operational continuity and continue worship life in the case of potential quarantine and disruption;
Show God's compassion and care to those in our communities who are affected.
Third, various governmental agencies have also sent out a set of recommendations to prepare for a season of higher concern in our communities. Those recommendations include:
Try to get an extra months’ worth of prescription medications, if possible, in case there are supply chain disruptions.
Slowly start to stock up on enough non-perishable food to last your household through two weeks of staying at home if there is a wave of transmission in the community.
Think about how you will continue to work if your child’s school is closed.
Understand that large gatherings you plan to attend may be canceled.
Think through how you will take care of sick family members while trying not to get infected.
Make plans for childcare if you become sick, or when your child is sick.
Start practicing not touching your face now. This can greatly reduce the frequency of potential spread. (You can even try a buddy system, where you and a friend remind each other when someone scratches their eyelid or rubs their nose.)
Replace handshakes with elbow-bumps.
Start building healthy habits like pushing elevator buttons with a knuckle instead of a fingertip.
Avoid sharing water bottles, drinks, etc.
Increase regular cleaning of commonly touched surfaces (e.g. cellphones, doorknobs, faucet handles, toilet handles etc.).
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns as we “weather this season”. In the meantime, continue to pray for effective responses to this contagion, for those who work to stop it, and for those who’ve been afflicted (or who have lost loved ones) because of it.
As always, I am yours . . .
Faithfully in Christ, the healer and redeemer of all things,
Fr. Gary