With shelter-in-place orders in effect throughout the Bay Area, Bishop Marc Andrus issued new guidelines this week for all congregations in response to COVID-19. All public, in-person worship services are suspended, and all other in-person gatherings, including meetings, funerals, memorial services, weddings and non-emergency baptisms, are cancelled for the CDC’s recommended eight weeks, or until May 10.
These guidelines are in alignment with the most recent directives from Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the public health orders issued in the six counties in which the Diocese of California operates.
In his directive, Bishop Marc notes,“I want to assure you that Easter will happen, and, once these orders are lifted, we WILL celebrate the resurrection with joy and great fanfare in our respective congregations and as a diocese.”We hope to celebrate Easter with all of you – just a bit later than usual.
Here’s how we have responded to the shelter-in-place order and the latest Diocesan directive:
The parish office is closed and our staff is working from home. The office telephone is checked at least twice a day for messages and staff will respond as needed.
Arts at St. Bede’s concerts scheduled for March have been postponed and the Junior Bach concerts scheduled for this month have been cancelled.
The use of our facilities by all outside groups has been cancelled; they will not be invited to return until we can fully open our church facilities on May 10.
Trinity School has closed their campus and is conducting classes via distance learning The school was tentatively set to return to campus after Spring Break on April 14; that will likely change as a result of the latest directive from the Bishop.
So, how do we stay connected as a beloved community while all of us are sheltering at home over the next several weeks? Most church committees will continue to meet, using conference calls, Zoom meetings and other apps. Members of the Vestry and the Community Outreach Committee are working to establish an old-fashioned “phone tree” to call parishioners and check in periodically. Starting this Sunday, Irene Lawrence will offer a Sunday morning prayer service via conference call; if this approach works well, we may look to expand this during Holy Week. Read further for more details on some of these efforts.
It’s been a challenging couple of weeks and I’m grateful for all of you who are getting through this with patience, resilience and good cheer.
I look forward to seeing you when next we can gather in person.
-- Anne Vitullo, Senior Warden
Supporting our Bede’s Community
At Tuesday’s Vestry meeting, we discussed some ways in which we can stay connected with each other while we shelter in place. We’re assembling a team of volunteers who will call fellow parishioners periodically, simply to check in, chat for a while or share a prayer together. If you're willing to help out, please drop a note to office@stbedesmenlopark.org and we will add you to the list of volunteer callers. We’ll send you a list of parishioners to call as soon as we have our team assembled. Brendan and Evan Deocariza-Nee are organizing a team of volunteers who will run simple errands, such as grocery shopping, for those who cannot leave their homes. If you can help with this, or you need this kind of support, please e-mail Brendan at bfdeonee@gmail.com. He and Evan will match those offering help with those who may need it.
Sunday Morning Prayer Service Beginning this Sunday, March 22, we are offering a Sunday morning prayer service via conference call at 9:30 a.m. Download a copy of the prayer service below so that you can pray with us. To join the call, please dial (425) 436-6372, and enter the access code 614487. We recommend dialing in about 5 minutes before the call is scheduled to start.
A number of churches throughout Northern California are streaming their Sunday services. You can find a link to a list of those services on our web site or on the Diocese’s Church online listing.
Keeping Your Financial Pledge Current
Those of you who wish to keep current with your pledge, may mail a check to the church office or donate online via the link on our home page. Although our church may be closed temporarily, your financial support is still important to the parish.
Rector Search Committee News
Your Search Committee is off and running! We have met with Denise Obando from the Diocesan Office of Transitional Ministry to learn about the process, ask questions and review reference material. Please watch for a detailed report in the April issue of Bede’s Journal which will share our learnings, a timeline and information on opportunities for parishioner input.
The Committee will keep you updated as we move through the process via the Weekly News emails and Bede's Journal. We hope to stay on track with our timeline, recognizing that the COVID-19 restrictions may require us to make adjustments along the way. We are confident that we will find the best person to be the next rector at St. Bede's! Please contact Sue Sartor (sartorsue@gmail.com) or Doug Blayney (douglas.blayney@outlook.com) if you have questions.
A Prayer for Perseverance
God of Hope, from you comes every blessing and all peace: Show us that, in the midst of our struggles, you are with us. Give us the abundance of your grace that we may do the work you give us to do and that we may be for the world a sign of your presence; through Christ, the Way and the Truth. Amen.
Please send your prayer requests to office@stbedesmenlopark.org and we will include them in a future This Week eNews.
