Taking Stock in Trying Times

 by The Rev. Cameron Randle, Rector

                                                       

For our world, our nation and our church, the past few days have been unprecedented. Unwanted waves of cancellations, closures and other restrictions are taxing our capacity to process substantial change within a short period of time. The COVID-19 coronavirus has upset our personal and professional ecosystems, delivering swift blows to our national health, economics, sense of normalcy & routine and to our general perception of well-being. In some respects, it feels as though the church has been driven underground, or at least online.

At Eastern Shore Chapel, Rev. Julia and I celebrated Eucharist last weekend in person at 2020 Laskin Road (alone in our sanctuary, save for the capable camerawork of Harold Williams) and digitally through YouTube. It was our intention both to safeguard the historical record of this faith community’s commitment to weekly services and to offer a visual and audio reminder to viewers that our worship of a sovereign and loving God continues unabated. We plan to do similarly this Sunday and for as long as circumstances preclude us from gathering together.

Meanwhile, please take advantage of the myriad of opportunities for exercising personal spirituality online and through conventional reading or listening. As Episcopalians and Anglicans, we have a chance to reacquaint ourselves with the Daily Offices of Morning Prayer, Noonday Prayer, Evening Prayer or Compline, either in the physical Book of Common Prayer or at bcponline.org or via a variety of apps. Moreover, this is the perfect time to recommit ourselves to loving our neighbor. Please pick up the phone and contact someone with whom you do not often speak. Check in by phone, text or email with friends, family members and acquaintances to let them know you’re concerned for their safety and comfort. This is especially true for senior citizens. If there are needs of a practical pastoral nature, please pass them along to ESC’s Pastoral Care Assistant Amanda McGinty at [email protected] or by phoning 757-481-1385.

For those parishioners and extended ESC family members who’ve been participating in our Lenten Bible study and book group, please complete your reading of Gifts of the Dark Wood, St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians and MLK, Jr’s Letter From Birmingham Jail. We had a wonderful momentum going prior to this interruption; it will be reclaimed and reignited when we assemble once again.

On page 40 in his chapter about the gift of uncertainty in Gifts of the Dark Wood, author Eric Elnes writes, “…uncertainty teaches us to let go of all concerns but the ones we truly face, giving us the courage and power to face them. In so doing, uncertainty provides the unexpected invitation to live our lives wholeheartedly.” Our present circumstances, changing daily, can be the source of anxiety, fear and formidable real life challenges. Let’s look to our Creator as the source of peace in the midst of storm; a peace that passes all understanding, provides genuine hope and makes possible patience in the meantime.

The current invitation to live our lives in previously unexplored ways is most definitely unexpected, and frankly, unwelcome. But acceptance of that invitation can be surprising, leading us to new insights and experiences we would never have realized through our own volition. Stay positive, look after one another and remain connected. We don’t just go to church…we ARE the church.

LENT (is still on)!

As the jokes goes: We are giving up more for Lent than expected. But while we are in our Lenten caves away from the world, we are even more aware of how we are connected to the world. We are still in Lent and the importance of being intentional is even more important than before to us. 

We are halfway to Holy Week, as well as almost halfway in our walk to Jerusalem during our Healthy Lent. I encourage you to continue your Lenten disciplines but be open to tweaking them. You can do the Daily Offices by yourself we will up to 2,000 steps per service. Praying for a minute gives you a 100 steps, this mean 20 minuets of prayers will be 2,000 steps. Please continue to read the Lenten books offered. Also you can add being intentional in your eating (turn off electronics and be aware of what you are eating) will be 500 steps. If you watch an educational video (like Ted Talks) that counts as 500 steps per video. If you wash your hands sing a verse from your favorite Hymn for 20 seconds or say the Lords Prayer and get 500 steps. Parents, you can have your kids write letters to people in retirement homes or in prison for 5,000 steps, or any activity you feel that helps the children be intentional in their actions.

The biggest goal is that we are intentional in our actions. We are called to walk and pray with God during this Lent.

To turn in your steps please email Lee Davis at [email protected] or Facebook him. He has been kind enough to gather the information.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to email me [email protected]

In faith and love,

Rev. Julia

LINKS

Daily Offices in the Book of Common Prayer begin on pg 37 (Rite I) or pg 75 (Rite II)

Daily Offices online at www.bcponline.org

Daily Offices that update daily at https://dailyoffice.app/

Ted Talks are found on Youtube or at  www.ted.com

To begin I would suggest listening to Brenee Brown's "Power of Vulnerability"

Activities to do with children can be found at these websites:

Thank you from your Stewardship Committee

Your Stewardship Committee would like to thank everyone for the outstanding turnout and generosity exhibited for our 2020 pledge campaign. The final numbers are as follows: 197 pledging units - $734,000.00 - $3,724 average pledge amount. We also saw 16 new pledging units for nearly $15,000.00. Also, 98 pledging units increased their pledges by over $700.00 on average. 

 

Now that Fr. Cameron and Rev. Julia are officially ensconced as our “Spiritual Leaders”, your continued support of time, talents and treasure will allow Eastern Shore Chapel to be a glowing example of Christ’s love and God’s light in our community and in this world. 

 

By the way – Since we are not currently conducting attended services for the foreseeable future, it would greatly help our cash flow if weekly and monthly contributors would drop there donations in the regular mail. Our staff is continuing to look after the daily business of the parish.      

 

Thanks to everyone again for your continued support and generosity

 

Worth Remick                                                   Lee Davis

Stewardship – Co Chair                                   Stewardship – Co Chair

Join us on Zoom for Thursday Morning Daily Office

Join us tomorrow, March 19, from the comfort of your home for Morning Daily Office. We will begin at 7:30 AM. To join the Zoom Meeting go to https://us04web.zoom.us/j/829228253  Meeting ID: 829 228 253

Vestry meeting goes virtual!

The Vestry meeting is going virtual! The business of the church marches on and we won't let COVID-19 hold us back! Since the Vestry can't meet in person, online is the next best thing. Our next Vestry meeting is Tuesday, March 24 at 5:30 pm and we'll be using Zoom. 

KAIROS programs postponed

It is with a heavy heart that I advise you that all visits to prisons in the Commonwealth of Virginia have been curtailed for the foreseeable future. As you can imagine, a virus in an atmosphere like that can have very severe consequences. As a result, all KAIROS programs have been postponed, as well as ALL visits from family and friends. We don’t know at this point if we can reschedule.

The good news is, you may eat the cookies you have baked – the bad news is that God’s children on the inside will be on lock down for an extended period of time. Lock down for a couple of days is bad enough, extended for weeks is simply miserable.

I would ask for your prayers for the residents of prisons across the Commonwealth, for Corrections Officers, Chaplains and Wardens as they deal with this situation.

Thank you for your amazing support. God’s Awesome Peace to You!

Your KAIROS Ministry Team

To our KAIROS cookie bakers:

All cookies baked for KAIROS still count 1,000 steps per dozen!

Volunteers needed for lawn mowing

Volunteers to join the lawn mowing team are needed for the 2020 season. If you'd like to help or want to learn more, contact Rod Gilmour, [email protected] or 757-613-0448

The Spring Thyme Herb Sale & Bazaar is coming Apr. 24-25!

Friday, Apr. 24 - Preview Party (6 to 8 PM)

Be the first to pick out your herbs and flowers while enjoying wine, appetizers and music! Purchase your $10 “Preview Party Tickets” in the church office beginning March 30. Tickets will also be sold in the church narthex on Sunday, March 29, April 5, and April 19. We will need donations of wine/appetizers. Plan to join us for this fun evening!

 

Saturday, April 25 - Herb Sale/Bazaar (9 AM to 2 PM)

WESC Herb Sale/Bazaar proceeds will go to outreach ministries and projects. Please contact Marty LaGiglia or Ellen Gallup if you can help.

Parish Day School: Connecting with families during closure

Parish Day School will be closed Monday, March 16 through Friday, March 27 due to the directive from the Diocese of Southern Virginia with the goal of mitigating the spread of coronavirus/COVID-19. Teachers will be sending weekly communications to families with ideas of activities to do at home that connect with our curriculum. Join us in praying for all families impacted by these closures over the next few weeks.

Last week we were visited by a mystery reader, Deb Painter, from the Eastern Shore Chapel Vestry. Deb joined one of our Pre-K fours classrooms and read the book The Luckiest Leprechaun. We are so blessed by these visits and an opportunity for the Vestry to connect with our little learners. We look forward to continuing this through the year. 

PDS is a peanut-free zone!

Please be reminded that Parish Day School is a Peanut-Free Zone. Please do not under any circumstances feed the animals on or around our property! Thank you for your cooperation.

Upcoming at ESC

For the full calendar of events, visit our website .

Spring Grounds Clean-up - Mar. 28, 8 am. It's time for Spring Cleaning! Come out and help spruce up the grounds in preparation for our Easter celebrations. We will meet in the Parish Hall Saturday, March 28, at 8:00 am Bring your gloves, rakes, shovels,and cheerful countenances. We'll plan to be finished around lunch time. Not able to come for the full morning? Not to worry. Come when you can. Leave when you need to. Remember, many hands make light work! Your efforts are greatly appreciated as they allow us to keep our maintenance costs down. Thank you in advance!

Spring Thyme Herb Sale & Bazaar - Apr. 24 & 25. WESC's 26th Annual Spring Thyme Herb Sale and Bazaar will be Saturday, April 25, with a Preview Party on Friday, April 24.

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