Dear Friends in Christ:

This week's e-mail is a little longer, as I am including some information about the timeline for reopening the building.

ONLINE WORSHIP

This Sunday morning, our service will be streamed at 10am on our Facebook page, and our website. You can also stream these services using Roku, AppleTV, and Amazon Fire, by adding the Boxcast channel, and then searching for St. Timothy's. All services are then uploaded to our youtube channel.

Information about and materials for this Sunday's service can be found HERE.

Also, each Wednesday at 12:30pm we stream a "mini concert" with prayers on our Facebook page, with our Choirmaster, Andrew Bolden providing music. Yesterday's musical offerings were absolutely beautiful, and if you missed them, you can find the video HERE.

ASCENSION, MAY 21st

We will be streaming an Ascension Day service at 7pm next Thursday, May 21st. This will be a lovely Evensong service, with Choirmaster Andrew and Organist Levi participating . . . at a safe distance, of course.

WEEKLY PUZZLE

This week we feature our magnificent west window, in the back of our sanctuary. You will find the puzzle by clicking  HERE. You can choose your background color, number of puzzle pieces, and even set it to display just the edge pieces.

The west window was given in 1898 in memory of Mr. & Mrs. Moses Brown by their son, Arthur Brown. Moses Brown was a long-time vestryman and treasurer of the parish. The window contains several symbols of the Resurrection: Easter lilies, crown, and peacock. This window was restored in 2002 by Mary Higginbotham in memory of the Albrecht and Dielhenn Families.

BIRTHDAYS and ANNIVERSARIES

This week, our churchmouse, Rory Kimball gets to celebrate her birthday without any competition. Wishing her and her Pride Bear a day full of fun and happiness.

We wish Matt and Liz Susor a happy anniversary on May 21st.

Keep these folks in your thoughts, and let them know you're thinking of them.

PRAYERS REQUESTED

Please keep these friends and parishioners in your prayers.

Will Miller, Fr. Erv, Diana Lawver, Ashley and Sawyer Locy, David Wigginton, Keith Rowland, Joyce Vitale, Hondo Sunquist, Pom Chakkaphak, Dick Croasdaile, Jenny Gump, Dr. Bob Ripich, Brian Dorosch, Dr. Don Zimmerman, Rachel Sanchez, Anne Smith, and Jerry DeTemple.

And do call the office if there's anyone you'd like to have added.

THE WAY FORWARD

So, I know you're all wondering when we can get back to how things were before we'd ever heard the term COVID-19. And I know some folks feel our religious expression is being repressed. And I know others are afraid to leave their houses. I have a few things to say about these concerns, and some information to add as well.

It seems clear to me and every priest I've spoken with, we are not going back to how things were before (just as we cannot go back to a jam-packed parish hall with everybody smoking cigarettes while the rector talks about the threat of Communism in the 1950s). When we do begin to gather again, things will not look the same. There will be no lingering over coffee and snacks; there will be no shaking hands; we won't be passing offering plates; children will not be going downstairs for Sunday School; everyone in the building will be required to wear masks; singing together won't be happening any time soon.

I am telling you all those disappointing facts because I want you to know we are not going back to the way things were, any time soon. Though we live in hope, we must also be realistic. God does not promise to make things like they used to be. Quite the contrary, we worship a God who makes all things new.

As for the government telling us what to do, I want to be crystal clear about this: In the Episcopal Church, the Bishop outranks the elected authorities. If the Governor and every city Mayor says it's okay to gather while the Bishop says it is not, we will not be gathering, because the Bishop is the higher authority for us as Episcopalians. Which leads me to this . . .

WHAT SAY YOU, BISHOP?

Rather than type it all again, I am going to paste in a section of a note I sent to the Vestry last night . . .



Well, the good news is, I didn't have to go all the way up to Geneva for the three-day Clergy Conference. The bad news is, I had to spend five hours on zoom today instead. Though it was nice that the Presiding Bishop joined us.

The final hour of all that zooming was what is called Bishop's Time, where Bp. Hollingsworth usually answers questions and gives us important information. Most of that time today was spent on identifying the challenges we all face in re-opening our church buildings.

In summary, Bishop Hollingsworth is working with the Bishop of Southern Ohio on a unified strategy for Episcopalians in Ohio. This makes a lot of sense. They are also conferring with other Bishops in our Province for shared strategies. This also makes sense. But as with any cooperative effort, things move slowly, the more input one seeks.

And there are differences. The Bishop of Western PA and Western NY has forbade public worship until sometime in July. Apparently, the Bishops of Ohio are thinking sooner, but it's not clear yet what that means exactly. Our Bishop did mention several times a document that is being drafted, and at some point, the Ohio Bishops will be sending that out to us all. But, again, I don't know when.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

As you can imagine, we don't really know just now. When I receive this document from the Bishop's office, I'll have a better sense of what is expected of us. At that point, Vestry and I will begin the strategy of how to keep our parishioners safe, along with how we might also begin to worship together. On the upside, we are blessed with a large sanctuary, so spreading out on Sunday mornings is not completely unrealistic. But again, I will definitely keep you updated as I get more information from our Bishop.

FOR NOW . . .

Please be vigilant in keeping yourself safe and healthy. I know it is maddening to be so cooped up all the time. But I also know that this virus has killed a lot of people, and I don't want any of our beloved parishioners to be among them.

May God give us patience and lots of good sense as we move into the future together.

Faithfully,

Fr. George