Do not fear, for I am with you.
Do not be afraid, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you, 
I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
      
Saturday, March 14, 2020


Dear Friends in Christ,

We have had an unprecedented week here in New York City. In the midst of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Mayor of New York City has declared a State of Emergency and the Governor has prohibited gatherings of more than 500 people. Museums are closed and concerts and Broadway shows have been cancelled. The National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League have suspended their seasons and, much to my wife’s dismay, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament has been cancelled. In our neighborhood, many churches and synagogues are closing in order to protect the most vulnerable people in their midst. The number of people infected by this virus continues to grow in New York City and experts tell us we must take immediate and significant steps if we are to stop this virus from doing even more damage. 

After meeting with a group of medical professionals from our parish, and in consultation with the Wardens, our staff, and neighboring clergy, we have made the decision to temporarily suspend public worship at St. Bart’s beginning this Sunday. In this we join our neighbors at St. James, Madison Avenue, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Central Synagogue, Fifth Avenue Presbyterian, and St. Peter’s Lutheran Church. It is too early to say precisely how long this period of time will last and we continue to monitor this situation closely. This decision is based on our desire to protect vulnerable members of our parish who are highly susceptible to this virus due to age or pre-existing condition, as well as to protect the members of our surrounding community, our staff and volunteers. 
 
This does not mean that St. Bart’s will be “closed.” We will have shorter hours, but the church will remain open for prayer and meditation through the week.  Crossroads Community Services will also remain open to serve those in great need.  

This is a dynamic situation which evolves day by day, at times seemingly hour by hour. Therefore, St. Bart’s will continue to monitor City, State and CDC guidance, remain in conversation with local medical professionals, and implement policies and procedures to mitigate risk and enhance safety for all who enter our doors. If it becomes necessary or prudent to limit operations and access further, we will do so. We will update our community via email and our website

  • We will not offer public worship this Sunday, but will instead livestream our Sunday service at 11 am from our sanctuary. Please join us at this link on our website, or YouTube, or Facebook on Sunday morning. (And please bear with us in the event of any technical difficulties, as this will be our first time.)


  • There will be no Children, Youth and Family activities, Adult Forum, Small Groups, or Coffee Hour. (We hope to be able to livestream the Adult Forum next week.)

  • The Community House will be closed to the public beginning Saturday, March 14. Some staff will work from home and will be available by email and voicemail. No staff members' job or salary will be at risk due to the closing of any of our facilities during this crisis. 

  • The church will be open for prayer and meditation from 10 am until 4 pm, Monday through Saturday, and Sunday afternoons from 12 pm to 4 pm. Chairs and door handles will be wiped down with disinfectant throughout the day. We ask that anyone who is at risk, unwell, or believes they may have been exposed to COVID-19 to please stay at home.  

  • We will be offering a variety of websites and online tools to assist you in your spiritual journey. There are a variety of resources we will make available to inform your prayer, Bible study, and daily worship. Information will be posted to our website and sent via eNews.

  • All in-person classes and meetings will be suspended. However, we will be holding a variety of classes and meetings using video or audio-conferencing resources as we go forward. 

  • We ask our at-risk parishioners (anyone over 60, anyone who is ill, all who are homebound, to let us know if you have adequate food and medicine and whether you have people to checking-in with you. If not, please contact us at 212-378 0222, or email central@stbarts.org.

  • If you have any pastoral needs, anxieties, questions, or suggestions on how we might be of greater service to you, please be in contact with any member of the clergy or parish staff. If your need is urgent, call 212-378-0250 and you will be forwarded to a priest on duty. To add a name to the prayer list, you may send an email to prayers@stbarts.org.

This moment invites us to be the church, the body of Christ in ways none of us could have imagined even a few days ago.  

  • We may not be able to touch each other during the peace, but we are still called to bring the peace of Christ to the world.  

  • We may not share a common cup, but we are filled to the brim with the Spirit of God.

  • We may not be gathered in the same place for worship, but we will pray and praise God wherever we are and in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. 

We will continue to pray for all those who have been infected by this virus and we will continue to pray for all those who are caring for them. We will learn to care for one another in ways which have never been asked of us before.

The Reverend Nils Chittenden, Rector of St. Stephen’s Church in Armonk, New York, shared a beautiful prayer from the Anglican Church of South Africa for those who are unable to physically receive communion.
 
He writes, “In apartheid South Africa, many prisoners were denied the sacraments and had to find other ways of taking Spiritual Communion. ‪This prayer found its way into the 1989 Anglican Church of South Africa Prayer Book as a help to others who could not receive. ‬‬‬‬‬
 
Jesus, may all that is you flow into me.
May your body and blood be my food and drink.
May your passion and death be my strength and life.
Jesus, with you by my side enough has been given.
May the shelter I seek be the shadow of your cross.
Let me not run from the love which you offer
but hold me safe from the forces of evil.
On each of my dyings shed your light and your love.
Keep calling to me until that day comes
when, with your saints, I may praise you for ever.
Amen.
 
May we find deeper and deeper meaning in becoming the Body of Christ during this extraordinary time. 

Faithfully,
The Right Reverend Dean E. Wolfe, D.D.
Rector