April 22, 2020
This is What We Are About
When one is close to or in the midst of something big, it is hard to see the whole picture. It’s rather like being up close to a tapestry — one can see the details of individual stitches and brilliancy of colors but not the whole pattern or entire image. Even when we think we can see our way ahead clearly, in reality our lives are always like this — our horizons are limited. Such is our path and we journey along it with faith. At this time in our collective pilgrimage, we take a look back at joyful past occasions when we could delight in being together in community, as we pray our way forward with a prayer attributed to Oscar Romero, Archbishop of San Salvador.
Check it out!
The Episcopal Church pulls
together a huge virtual choir at Easter for "The Strife is O'er"
It started in Italy in 1591 , as a composition by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. On a separate track, the Latin words were
published anonymously in a Catholic hymnal in 1695. An Anglican priest, Francis Pott, translated the hymn into English in 1861. Then organist William Monk added “Alleluias” and married Pott’s translation to Palestrina’s music, to create “The Strife is O’er, the Battle Done” as we now know it. In 2020, in a tour de force of musicality, technology, logistics, and database man-agement, the Episcopal Church’s Office of Communication arranged a virtual version in a time of social distancing. While it’s unsafe to gather in crowds, more than 600 people from around the world came together online as a massive choir and orchestra to present a beloved resurrection hymn on Easter Sunday. Listen to it here , and look ahead in faith to a time when Christians will gather safely again.
Did you know?
Martyrs of Memphis
have lessons to teach
those battling COVID-19
The martyrdom of Constance and her five companions, who died within a month of each other while ministering to residents of Memphis, Tennessee, amid the 1878 yellow fever epidemic, has always inspired the ministry of  St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral .

The Rev. Laura Gettys, the Memphis cathedral’s interim dean, reflects: “On the days when I feel overwhelmed, I’m mindful of what they did. They showed up and were faithful and were present to those who needed them the most. They were there for prayer, for love, for compassion, and many times for medical care.

"The legacy of the 'Martyrs of Memphis,” as they are known, “is both gift and challenge,” she said. “It is in every fiber of who we are and what we are about.” Read Episcopal News Service article here.
News from the Episcopal Church
An invitation for you, from Presiding Bishop Curry: Habits of Grace
"As we learn how to adjust our lives given the reality of the coronavirus and the request to do our part to slow its spread by practicing social distancing, I invite you to join me each week to take a moment to cultivate a ‘habit of grace.’ A new meditation will be posted on Mondays through May." Start watching here .
The 2020 Episcopal Youth Event (EYE20) , scheduled to be held at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD), July 7-11, 2020, has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is deeply disappointing for many, and particularly for the 18 youth who have been called to serve on the planning team, many of whom are seniors”, said Bronwyn Clark Skov, Officer for Youth Ministries. “We are actively working to reschedule, with special consideration for the current senior class and will provide updates as soon as we can.” For full information click here .
The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations releases new resource to help identify misinformation
In response to the increased prevalence of disinformation campaigns, The Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations has released the resource “Misinformation, Disinformation, Fake News: Why Do We Care?” While misinformation has been used for centuries, it has become especially prevalent and difficult to identify with the rise of social media platforms and the general expansion of internet access. Misinformation often spreads faster and is seen by a broader audience than legitimate news. This means that when misinformation is spread about a topic like the coronavirus disease or the U.S. 2020 Census, it can pose a serious threat to public health and social systems as individuals are more likely to be exposed to misinformation than expert advice. Learn how to identify misinformation, limit its spread, and protect yourself from misinformation here
Cycle of Prayer in the Episcopal Church in Delaware
T his week (week of April 19) we hold up in prayer St. Martha's Church , Bethany Beach, the wardens, vestry and parishioners. For Cycle of Prayer Calendar for 2019-2020 click here.
Announcements in the Episcopal Church in Delaware
The 2020 Episcopal Youth Event (EYE20) , scheduled to be held at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD), July 7-11, 2020, has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is deeply disappointing for many, and particularly for the 18 youth who have been called to serve on the planning team, many of whom are seniors”, said Bronwyn Clark Skov, Officer for Youth Ministries. “We are actively working to reschedule, with special consideration for the current senior class and will provide updates as soon as we can.” For full information click here .
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