Worship During COVID-19: A Survey for Eastern Shore Chapel
Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church has received guidance from the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia to plan for phases regarding re-gathering during the COVID-19 pandemic. By phases, we are referring to our plan for a gradual re-opening in which we adjust to our new normal. We are asking you a few short questions in order to support your spiritual well-being as best we can while making plans to transition. We do not yet know when this will happen. The survey may be completed anonymously, but we would love for you to share your name, current phone, and email address so that we may update our database. Please submit your completed survey no later than August 26, 2020.
Please contact our Parish Administrator if you have any questions or need assistance. Thank you!
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Senior Warden's message
By Sally Cox
In his sermon this week, Father Cameron charged us to ask ourselves: “What does God call us to do to discover who we are truly meant to be in relationship to the other?” This is something that we as a church have been wrangling with for the past couple of years. Our Vestry has held retreats and dedicated meetings to discerning the answer to this question. As a congregation, we held multiple discernment meetings and took part in delving discussions of who we are and where we want to be going. As I listened, and re-listened, to Father Cameron’s words I heard the voices of our parishioners yearning to do what is right and good. Honestly, I heard echoes of our Mission and Vision statements.
At Eastern Shore Chapel, our Mission is to love all as Christ loves us and to share the light of God through worship, service, and ministry.
Our Vision, Recognizing brokenness in ourselves and the world around us, we seek to be conduits of God’s love and restoration, is similar in its desire to reach out and to lift up.
This reaching out and lifting up is what I see every day in the work our Vestry, Clergy, staff, and volunteers are doing to discern the safest way for us to once again work and worship together on our grounds and in our Sanctuary.
Everything that we have done since the closure of our buildings to the daily routines of pre-COVID has been a step taken toward our Vision.
Our online worship services have reached across the country and around the world. Not everyone who tunes in is a current or a former parishioner. In fact, I have spoken with two different participants in our weekly services who are from different denominations, but who come to our service because they appreciate the formality and ritual that is lacking in other online services.
Our Chapel Pantry is serving daily in the receipt of donations and preparing of food bundles that are given out by volunteer workers who place the bundles into the trunks of cars. It is a wonder to watch the volunteers on Saturdays who direct the flow of traffic so that every person who comes, receives.
Our Parish Day School Administrators, staff, and Board of Directors did an amazing job completing the last school year and are working closely with Clergy and Vestry as they have developed a plan to begin in person Day School on September 8th.
Thanks to the concerns and request of several Vestry members, small group gatherings have begun on Zoom and in person. (See the announcement for further information). A study of our Episcopal catechism reaches those who have been feeling disenfranchised both from our own congregation and from other churches in our area.
I was excited to hear that Hampton Roads is seeing a reduction in the number of new COVD-19 cases even though the rest of Virginia is not quite there yet. And I know that because of the dedicated volunteers on our Regathering Committee, we will be prepared and will welcome with open arms all who enter our grounds as we reopen.
As your Senior Warden, I thank each of you for your patience, your assistance and your love as we navigate each new day. I hope that you too see the love and restoration flowing through this Parish during these times of transition. These are the Ordinary Days. These are the days of change and progress. These are the days of love and restoration.
Yours In Christ,
Sally
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Interested in joining a Parish Community Group? We Have Begun to Gather!
By Patti Frankenfield
Our Small Parish Community Groups have begun to meet in person and by Zoom! Please share with anyone you think might be interested, or anyone you might like to invite to a group! Feel free to choose a time and “location" that works best for you. And feel free to visit more than one small group!
The groups meeting by Zoom (for the present) are with Lee Davis, Worth Remick and Patti Frankenfield.
- To join Lee's Zoom Meeting, click here. If needed, his Meeting ID: 840 6800 7335 and Passcode: ESC1689
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To join Worth’s Zoom meeting, click here.
- To join Patti’s Zoom meeting, click here. If needed, her Meeting ID: 894 6820 1711 and Passcode: 812791
Two groups: Ann and Rusty Onhaizer, with Priscilla Jaffee, and Dave and Allison Ward Johnson. Group leaders will be hosting in person meetings at their homes. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing. Ann’s group will meet at 5708 Atlantic Avenue. Feel free to call her mobile at 757-287-8547 with any questions. Allison can be reached at 410-596-0143 for her address and any questions about her group.
Planned meeting times are with the following hosts:
- Lee is hosting 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 5:00 p.m.
- Worth is hosting 2nd and 4th Sundays, from 6:00 -7:00 p.m.
- Patti, 2nd and 4th Mondays, September thru November at 5:30 p.m. starting in August 31.
- Ann and team are hosting the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m.
- Allison is hosting on 1st and 3rd Tuesday evenings at 6:30 p.m.
We plan to meet twice a month from August thru November covering eight points of the Episcopal Catechism. We will take a break in December. We will then continue in January thru April.
It is our hope that these groups will provide an opportunity for Parish community connections during this challenging time. May God Bless our time together!
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By Marty Thumel
Accounting and Realm
The bookkeeping office at ESC has been especially busy in the past few months, masks and all. A huge shout-out to bookkeeper Roxie Wright and Finance Committee member Mary Thrush. They have both put in some serious time.
The decision to find software that is specifically designed for churches was made last year. After extensive research, and talking with the accounting folks at the Diocese, we selected Realm.
Realm is a cloud-based church management solution. It will assist ESC’s parish administrator, accounting department, parishioners and community management. The solution provides multiple security layers for financial transactions and registration payments.
There are many features within Realm that we will implement, such as:
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Profiles - Church staffs can manage all profile information, define custom fields, review member updates, and associate family members.
- Contributions - Enter and post batch contributions to the parishioner’s profile and to the general ledger at one time.
- Quarterly Statements – Year End Statements
- Financial Reports – Revenue and Expenses with Budgets
The import process started in early summer from Quick Books. Only the parishioner information was exported and imported into Realm. Roxie Wright is in the process of reviewing each pledge, giving amounts and reconciliation of each account.
We are targeting the third quarter 2020 with Statements to each parishioner derived from Realm.
It takes quite a bit of time to set-up a new system, and still keep the church’s accounting going on the old system.
Just a few features of Realm:
Registration of Events:
My first thought on this feature was Holy Smokin’ – I’m not sure we are ready to give up the tickets and the sign-up sheets in the narthex – but perhaps I, too, will learn new ways.
Realm will make it easy for us to schedule events and organize the important details that go with them.
Gives us the ability to register for the events they plan to attend. You can get an anticipated head count, know better how to plan, capture additional registrant information, collect payments, and more.
Calendar:
We will know what is ‘going on’ in the calendar originating Realm, and through the security of the system, everyone will have access to the calendar.
There is much to learn, but we finally have the right tools to make our jobs easier at ESC – and accurate.
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Aspects of ESC may be restricted or closed for now, but we are moving ahead with so much happening at Eastern Shore Chapel.
We aren’t sitting around whittling, and whistling –
Fr. Cameron, Rev. Julia, Vestry, sextons, Parish Day School, Buildings &Grounds, Finance, Outreach, etc. at ESC are all planning and/or engaging. We will be ready for renewed ministry when we can open our doors, and Pass the Peace once again.
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Saints & Themes continues
Saints and themes will resume this week. Join Rev. Julia on Thursday at 10am for a new saint! Click here to join the discussion. Meeting ID: 820 1112 3045, Passcode: Saints. |
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Music for Pentecost 12
By Martin Sunderland, Organist & Music Director
Our anthem text, Tu es Petrus by GP Palestrina (1525-1594), centers on our Gospel lesson today, Matthew 16:13-20. Because this text is an important focus for Christians, many composers through out music history have set this text to music.
You are Peter
Tu es Petrus
And on this rock I will build my church;
Et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam
The gates of hell would not prevail against it.
Et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam.
I will give you the keys of heaven.
Et tibi dabo claves regni caelorum.
Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven;
Quodcumque ligaveris super terram, erit ligatum et in caelis,
And whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
Et quodcumque solveris super terram, erit solutum et in caelis.
I will give you the keys of heaven.
Et tibi dabo claves regni caelorum.
In keeping with the “Peter” theme, our organ music this week is a wild toccata by Henri Mulet, titled “ Tu es Petrus.” See if you can keep track of the number of finger touches and releases that occur in this composition. |
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Look at what our choir has been doing! Several of our choir members have sharpened their vocal skills by participating in a virtual choir production. To get us over the technology chasm, Eric Baskerville has gently and expertly guided our skills, so that we can sing together and remain healthy. Click here for the ESC Virtual Choir singing “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring” by J. S. Bach |
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Handbell Regathering
For those willing to take the challenge of becoming a part of a music making ensemble at ESC, there is still room for you in the beginning handbell ensemble, held on Wednesday mornings at 10:30am in the sanctuary.
Because the coronavirus is still with us and will be for an extended time, we are required to follow specific rules when in rehearsals.
These rehearsal guidelines include, but may not be completely inclusive at this time are:
- Bell players will be spaced 6 feet apart from any other person.
- Everyone will wear a mask when entering, during, and leaving rehearsal.
- Everyone will use hand sanitizer before any entry into the practice session.
- Gloves will be given to and worn by every person. Please bring a zip lock storage bag to keep your gloves. Take the gloves home and wash them when you have finished each practice.
- Each bell handle must be sanitized after each practice session.
- Each bell player will be responsible to retrieve his assigned bells from the bell cases, before each rehearsal and replace them in the proper case following each rehearsal.
Please contact Dr. Sunderland at [email protected] indicating your desire to participate in our handbell music making.
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Chapel Pantry This Week
By Kay O'Reilly, Chapel Pantry Director
The persistent rain didn’t stop the 243 families who came to our drive-through food distribution on Saturday. Nor did it prevent our valiant volunteers from making it all happen and they stayed cheerful throughout.
If you know anyone who’s struggling with food insecurity send them our way. We’re here every Saturday, rain or shine, from 12 to 3 pm. It’s anonymous, and guests can come whenever they need food.
Since the Pantry reopened in mid-April we’ve served 4,143 households, or 15,000 individuals over 19 Saturday afternoons. We are so grateful to all of you at Eastern Shore Chapel and in the community for your continued support and prayers of our ministry and for the people we are blessed to serve.
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Virtual Sunday School and Confirmation Interest Meeting
Young Children: In addition to mailed coloring sheets to go with the Lectionary readings, join us every other Sunday for our Zoom Children’s Bible Story Time! The next and last summer story time is August 23 at 9:10.
Middle School: Students will use Legos or other materials they have in the house to build a response to “What is the Bible saying to you?" The next and last mailing will go out to coordinate with the August 23 readings.
High School: Students gather this Sunday on Zoom for fellowship and some spiritual gems along the way!
Stay tuned for details about our start to Christian Formation and our fall Sunday School program. The official start date is September 13th! If you are able to help with this important ministry, please contact Lynn (email below).
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The youth confirmands and parents met with Rev Cameron to hear the plan for 9-12 grade children seeking to be confirmed! Please email Molly Vaughn at [email protected] if you’re 9-12 grade student is interested in being confirmed! |
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Parish Book Store News
The Parish Book Store, thanks to your very generous donations, is delivering 108 bilingual children's books this weekend to Dos Santos on the Eastern Shore. We are not finished ordering and delivering, but we wanted to keep you posted. We may be physically closed, but we are still in business! If you would like to peruse our items in stock, call (757-425-0114) and leave a message. We will get back to you to set up an appointment. Or you can email us at [email protected] to request an appointment or ask if we have what you are looking for. OR if you want a book, go to bookshop.org, click on "find a bookstore", put in "Virginia Beach, VA," and click on our website. If you don't see your book among our titles, just type in the title of the book, and order from there. The Parish Book Store receives a portion of the sale. Pay by credit card, and bookshop.org will ship the book directly to your house. So there are lots of ways to support us while we are technically closed. Thanks to you all!
Parish Book Store Book Group to meet August 30
The Parish Book Store Book Group will meet to discuss Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You on Sunday, August 30 at 9:30 a.m. in the outdoor chapel area. Masks are required! Bring a chair if you don't want to sit on a bench. We will be social distancing as we discuss. If we have rain, we will default to a Zoom meeting. (Fingers crossed!)
The book is a YA (young adult) non-fiction remix of the much longer National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi. If you have not gotten a copy of the book, there is still time to order it from bookshop.org (go to "find a bookstore", type in "Virginia Beach" and click on our website) and read it. If you have questions, please contact Susan Buchanan, 757-481-2595, or email [email protected]. |
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Parish Day School is getting ready for back-to-school
Parish Day School is gearing up for the new year! Our teachers are busy rearranging and setting up our school in this new social distancing world. We know how important it is for our families to have care for their children during this difficult time. We feel blessed to be able to open in our new capacity to keep our families, teachers and students safe.
Parish Day School is currently interviewing for an afternoon teacher position. If you know of someone interested, please have them contact us at [email protected] or call 757-491-6130.
We are sending you our prayers and love for the new school year!
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Thursday Morning Daily Office in the outdoor chapel
LIVE and the ESC Outdoor Chapel, every Thursday morning at 7:30. Join us won't you for the morning Daily Office. Face masks required, social distancing and no singing - but it's better than nothing. Bring your Prayer Book if you have one, if not follow along on your cell phone. Or, you can join us live on ZOOM meeting number: 562 715 368 Password: John1513. We are on ZOOM every morning but Sunday. Join us won't you?
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Daily Morning Prayer via ZOOM
Join us on ZOOM for the Daily Office every day at 7:30 AM (except Sunday). ZOOM meeting number 562 715 368, password: John1513 (You can also join us live in-person in the outdoor chapel at ESC on Thursdays). Everything you need is provided!
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Evening Prayer via ZOOM
Join us each evening for Evening Prayer every Monday through Friday at 7:30 PM via ZOOM. Just go to www.zoom.us and enter meeting number 869 9363 5805, and password: Ex1414. Hosted by David Wynne. |
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ESC Prayer Chain - Parishioners' prayers are the pulse of the parish
The prayers that we pray from our hearts, and the meditations that we make, are like the roots that trees send down into the earth to draw up nourishment. They are our means of spiritual nourishment that enable us to put our trust in God and share God’s love with others, bearing fruit for God. --- SSJE -Br. David Allen 4/6/2019
At Eastern Shore Chapel, we have a “Prayer Chain”, a group of parishioners who have made a commitment to intentionally pray every day for others whose needs have been brought to the attention of our clergy and lay pastoral care volunteers. We have two primary lists, a short term prayer list where names are added for a thirty-day period and a long term prayer list where names are added for four months. Additionally, we pray for service members who are deployed, and we pray for couples expecting a baby.
We are presently updating the current list. If you are in need of prayer, or if you know of someone you would like to have lifted up in prayer, please provide their name(s) to Amanda McGinty, our Pastoral Care Assistant, or to Laurie Fox, our Parish Administrator or to the Clergy. Let them know which list you request along with your contact information, so we can follow-up at a later date.
We are humbled at the opportunity to offer intercessory prayers to our Creator on behalf of others. We thank you in advance for your prayers for us.
Prayer is sitting in the silence until it silences us, choosing gratitude until we are grateful, and praising God until we ourselves are an act of praise. Mature prayer always breaks into gratitude. --- Fr. Richard Rohr
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Community of the Gospel prays for end to racist violence, everyone invited to participate
The Community of the Gospel, an ecumenical non-residential monastic community with standing in The Episcopal Church, announces a 24 hour prayer vigil for the end to racist violence on Holy Cross Day, September 14, 2020. The Community offers this vigil to everyone wishing to participate as a response to this nation's four hundred year history of systemic racism.
In announcing the prayer vigil, Br. Daniel-Chad Hoffman, Guardian, stated: "As monastics, we engage in regular prayer, study, and service aimed at the establishment of a society marked by justice, dignity, and equal opportunity for all. This is grounded in our baptismal vow 'to strive for justice and peace among all people, respecting the dignity of every human being.'"
The vigil will be launched with a thirty minute Zoom prayer service officiated by the Community of the Gospel Chaplain, the Rev. Tyrone Fowlkes, Rector of St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Raleigh, N.C. This virtual service is scheduled for Sunday, September 13, from 8:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Participants are invited to sign up for one or more hour-long prayer segments on Holy Cross Day, Monday, September 14, from 12 a.m. throughout the day, with the vigil ending at midnight.
Sign-up for the Zoom prayer launch on Sunday, the 13 as well as the prayer vigil itself on Monday, the 14 is by Doodle Poll. Zoom invitations will be sent to all persons who sign up. Please follow this link to sign up.
The Community of the Gospel was founded in 2007 and currently numbers nearly fifty members and friends across the United States and in the Bahamas. While holding day jobs, members commit to embody Gospel values through disciplined prayer, study, and service.
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Pray for Our Military
From CRU Military Ministry -- PRAY for service members who are now making the sometimes challenging transition to civilian life... no longer Active-duty, now veterans. Pray for them to seek God in the everyday decisions of life and as they and their families adjust to their “new normal.” Pray against isolation and discouragement as they trust in Him and His plans for their future.
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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The Chapel Chimes is distributed every Wednesday.
If you would like to submit an article to the Chapel Chimes email
with "CHIMES SUBMISSION" in the subject line.
Deadline is every Tuesday at 5 pm.
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