Mixing It Up: Ashes, Dust and Distance

By The Rev. Cameron Randle, Rector

One of the central challenges of our societal siege in response to COVID-19 is learning how to adapt gracefully to unwanted change. Most of us are painfully aware of the fluidity with which each day seems to produce a slightly different reality from the day prior. Just when we think we’ve processed a new onslaught of information or set of circumstances, late-breaking news introduces an unanticipated development. It seems we are living with one foot planted in the pre-pandemic world and the other foot awkwardly, hesitantly, seeking solid ground in a mid-pandemic reality. Many conventional aspects of our faith life are being challenged. Foremost among those is discerning how best to conduct communal worship without the physical presence of the faithful. Even dying is subject to the new reality.

Last week, I was privileged to officiate at the funeral of a former parishioner on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The deceased had been a public figure of sorts, well-known and respected in that region. He taught English for years, served as a principal and Acting Superintendent of the school system, and was Accomack County Administrator for seven years. Under normal circumstances his funeral might have been standing-room only. Instead, a gathering of ten people dotted the lonely landscape of that rural cemetery on the peninsula. His wife and daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren attended their loved one’s virtual funeral via ZOOM videoconference from North Carolina. As priest, I was charged with conducting the Burial of the Dead by speaking into a cell phone, hoping to console disembodied family members hundreds of miles away. 

In its Daily Office of Evening Prayer, the Book of Common Prayer describes God as “ the life of all who live, the light of the faithful, the strength of those who labor, and the repose of the dead …” We seldom employ the word ‘repose.’ Yet, there is something reassuring about the notion of deep, extended rest. To understand comprehensive restfulness as a key characteristic of the Divine can be both illuminating and liberating. It is to begin to grasp the idea of God as true sanctuary. It reminds us that rest is an element of reward and reward is to be welcomed (in due time, of course). Our hearts are hurting for all those individuals and families and friends who have lost significant persons to death during the present health crisis. Even when a death is unrelated to the coronavirus, it still carries the imprint of imposed alteration and deviance from custom.



During these difficult days of physical distancing, self-quarantining and pervasive uncertainty, we must remember who we worship. God is our very life force, our source of being. God is our light, our awareness and our capacity to envision. God is our strength and sustenance as we work through the obstacles inherent in a new daily reality. God is rest and relief and restoration. Even as the rules around us are changing, our faith in God through Christ enables us to access a calm continuity. This calm continuity, a.k.a. the peace of Christ, carries with it the potential to mitigate, and even sometimes to transform, our spiritual infirmities. Even if it means reimagining, for a moment, how we experience the loss of loved ones and friends.

 

“All of us go down to the dust; yet even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.” -- Page 499, Book of Common Prayer

Sexton Matthew Improta power-washes the Church and Parish Day School exteriors while sexton Rusty Seamans adds a fresh coat of paint to the Barton House. Along with colleagues Darlene Berry and Deborah Broady, these maintenance staff members have been cleaning, upgrading and generally looking after the ESC campus during each day of the closure period. Thanks to all!

Update on Healthy Lent!

 

The goal of Healthy Lent was to be intentional in our spiritual, physical, and mental interactions during our Lenten season. And I think it’s safe to say that this was an unprecedented time. Our healthy Lent went well as we could have hoped. A huge shout out and thank you to Lee Davis for keeping track of all of the steps/miles/footprints.

So far we have walked 7,496,281 steps, at 2,000 steps per miles. We have covered 3,748 miles. CONGRATULATIONS!!! Our goal to get to Jerusalem is 5,938 miles, this means we have 2,190 miles to go, or 4,379,719 steps to make it .

Are you up for a challenge? I propose that we continue on our journey, and continue with our Intentional Shut-in Time. We are now in the Eastertide. A time for celebrating and embracing the Resurrection of Christ, which is the recognition of living in a new world, a world that - no matter what happens - Christ is always with us.

Continuing to Live with Intention

We will continue our journey but with different expectations and different ways to Walk to Jerusalem (see list below). After all, it is just one step at a time. We will continue this until we are back at work or have reached Jerusalem.

 

Intentional Steps

News from the ESC Cemetery Manager Mike Brown

 

Greetings to my ESC Parish family! I hope you all are staying healthy and well. The engineering plans for our cemetery expansion have been approved by both the City and the State. Today we had a pre-construction meeting with our Contractor, Premier Earth Shaping, the Engineers and the City inspector. They gave us the go ahead to start clearing and earthwork. We had planned to have an official parish-wide groundbreaking ceremony to kick off the project, however, “social distancing” has adjusted our plans and we will have a small blessing ceremony with our clergy and contractor in order to move the project forward with God’s unwavering grace and blessing. I hope to provide you all with weekly updates and an occasional picture or two in the Chapel Chimes as our construction moves forward. Any questions can be directed to my email at [email protected] or my office number at 757-422-1287.

Reminder - Spring Thyme Herb Sale & Bazaar cancelled

Please be reminded that due to coronavirus issues beyond our control, this year's WESC Spring Thyme Herb Sale and Bazaar on April 24 and 25 has been cancelled. If you had begun to bake goodies for Holy Chow, share them with family, neighbors and friends. If you had items put aside for the Junque Shoppe, save them for next year's sale or donate them to your favorite thrift store. And if you still intend to purchase herbs and plants for your garden, support your local greenhouses and nurseries when it is safe to do so.

As always, WESC appreciates the support of our fundraisers and, God willing, we look forward to next year's event. Stay healthy!

Ellen, Marty, Susan B., Susan C., and Sandy

Virtual Easter Evensong from the Royal School of Church Music

Dear ESC parishioners,

Click here for a virtual Easter Evensong service presented by the Royal School of Church Music. Because we are unable to incorporate the advanced technological wizardry that is displayed in this link, I hope you will enjoy this Easter celebration.

Blessings,

Martin Sunderland

Virtual Sunday School

Your child can connect online with Sunday School! Please email the teacher and she will send you a ZOOM invitation.

This week Godly Play enjoyed gathering together to continue the story of Easter, and EYC gathered for fellowship and fun and lots of laughter!

Join us on ZOOM for daily Morning Prayer

As many of you know, we have been offering Morning Prayer - Rite Two each morning (except Sunday) at 7:30 AM on ZOOM. It takes about thirty minutes and offers a way to get together for spiritual exercise. A very good way indeed to start the day.

Because of recent concerns about security, we have established a new meeting that will require a password to join - nothing else will change. So, beginning immediately the details are these:

Go to www.zoom.us

   Meeting ID:  562 715 368

   Password:  John1513

Join us won't you? We will all be made richer by your presence. You are not expected but welcomed indeed! Email Lee Davis [email protected] if you have questions.

Parish Day School: Earth Day; Trike-a-thon and more!

This week Parish Day School is celebrating Earth Day and learning about recycling and life cycles. Families have been invited to the Virginia Zoo’s Virtual Earth Day Celebration .

 

In our virtual classrooms the curriculum will give families ideas of things they can do outside and investigating our earth like this DIY rain gauge found at the Community Playthings Blog . Last week we loved seeing our families sidewalk chalk messages and artwork for Easter.

The CHKD Trike-a-thon continues through the month of April. We have loved seeing our students, teachers and school families riding bikes this month for CHKD. We hope you are able to help us meet our fundraising goal by donating here !

 

We continue to pray for our Parish Day School and Church family in this uncertain time. We are keeping our eyes on what God has in store for us with finishing out our school year, starting our summer camp and our new school year. We keep focused on our mission to love, educate, and support our preschoolers and their families. We know the way we serve and connect to our families might look different, but the mission is still the same. Sending all of you prayers for health and safety, Happy Easter!

Pray for our military

From the Cru Military Ministry -- PRAY for the smooth launch of our new Spiritually Fit Ready to Serve (SFRS) program which will reach even more young military members with wonderful news of God’s love and salvation! Introduced to the SFRS course in bootcamp, service members can continue being discipled through SFRS small group material, and then be prepared to lead their own Bible studies. PRAY that God will give urgency, skill, and focus as well as unity and like-mindedness to our team members involved in building the app and the SFRS booklet as we try to complete before the summer. PRAY that we would see a high amount of engagement with military service members when we launch the SFRS mobile app.  

Prayers & Prayer Cards for deployed military

If you would like a prayer card sent to your deployed service member please contact Bill Hunter at [email protected] or 757-402-6384. I would also be happy to place the service member on the prayer list at church for inclusion in the weekly Prayers of the People.

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