July 23, 2020
Dear Friends:
Next week, August 1st, I will have been with you all for exactly four years. The first three and a half years flew by, but the last four months have been . . . "challenging." And, of course, the reason these months have been challenging has nothing to do with you or me or St. Timothy's. It's just the way things are. And yet, there are some things we can do to make things better.
Contact: Staying in touch with one another is the surest way to hold our community together while we are apart. I encourage you to keep checking in on one another. (If you'd like a copy of the church directory, please let me know.)
Safety: Staying safe while we wait is tedious, boring, and crucial. As I hope you have heard, our Governor's state-wide mask mandate goes into effect this evening at 6pm. The mask mandate doesn't really change anything at church, since we already require masks, per the Bishop's decree.
However
, what
is
new for us is the suggested 14-day quarantine for anyone traveling to Ohio from any state with 15% or higher infection rate. (Currently, that list includes these 9 states: AL, AZ, FL, GA, ID, MS, NV, TX, and SC.) If you are returning from any of those states any time soon, I ask that--for the sake of your fellow parishioners--you refrain from attending in-person services for those 14 days. Like I said: tedious, boring, and crucial.
On to the usual updates . . .
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WORSHIP
We continue to offer five services each week--four are streamed online, and one is in the building, for those who feel comfortable gathering in person.
Sunday
:
8:00 am we open the doors for Holy Eucharist, Rite I, with Spiritual Communion. We have 22 "booths" for seating, and members of a household can sit together. We can accommodate somewhere between 22 and 44 persons at this service. By way of a reminder, everyone
must
wear a mask, so please bring your own--if you forget, we will have a limited supply available. Everyone
must
enter through the parking lot doors, and provide contact information (if we don't already have it).
10:00 am, we will stream Holy Eucharist, Rite II, with Spiritual Communion. We are delighted to once more be using Andrew Bolden's "Third Street Mass" for this service, which you can find
HERE
. The service outline is
HERE
, and hymns are
HERE
.
This service will only be available online, due to restrictions against singing together.
Tuesday
and
Thursday
: We will continue to stream The Great Litany and sung Compline at 7pm, on Facebook and at our website.
Wednesday:
at 12:30pm, we feature one of our lovely stained-glass windows with prayers, and musical accompaniment by Choirmaster Andrew Bolden. (Only on our
Facebook
page.)
More information on all our services can be found at the
Calendar
page of our Website.
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WEEKLY PUZZLE
This week's puzzle features the window from the north wall of the Higginbotham Lounge. 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. Plus, you get a very affirming crowd reaction once you have completed it!
I have been unable to find the date this window was installed, but it is probably original to the addition in the 1950s. In the center of the window is the crest of Edward the Confessor, monk king of England in the 11
th
century, and founder of Westminster Abby. (I have no idea why this particular crest was chosen.) This window also contains the symbols of the four Evangelists, Matthew (angel), Mark (bull), Luke (lion) and John (eagle), along with other Christian symbols.
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BIRTHDAYS and ANNIVERSARIES
Celebrating birthdays this week are Sue O'Donnell (7/27) and Bob Meyer (7/30).
No anniversaries, that I am aware of.
Be sure to send good thoughts and good wishes to all who celebrate this week!
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PRAYERS REQUESTED
Please keep these friends and parishioners in your prayers.
David Wigginton, Keith Rowland, Joyce Vitale, Brian Dorosch, Don Zimmerman, Rachel Sanchez, Anne Smith, Carrie Morrison, Bob Meyer, Chris Lane, Chelsey Levin, John Locy, Rita Haines, and Ruby Baum.
And do call the office if there's anyone you'd like to have added.
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OTHER THINGS
Thanks to those who have brought in some supplies for our food pantry. Since we have no idea what new plan will come out of Washington DC or Columbus, it's best to be prepared to help folks who might need some help starting in August.
For all those who are preparing to send children back to school, or to teach them at home, our prayers are with you. If you need resources and/or suggestions, please be in touch. I'm certain there are folks in our community whose wisdom could be helpful.
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I wanted to be sure you all got to see this photo. Our gardening team planted hyssop near the southwest corner of the building, below our "Tree of Life" Tiffany window. This plant has really been flourishing, and also life-giving. And there's a promise in that plant, from the words of David in Psalm 51 . . .
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
May this image remind us, amidst the chances and changes of life, God is ever faithful, ever present, and ever loving.
Fr. George
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