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Pastoral Update: COVID-19 (March 26, 2020)

March 26, 2020 in COVID-19, Bishop Doug Sparks

26 March 2020

Dear Sisters, Brothers, Siblings,

Grace and peace be with you in Jesus, our Crucified and Risen Savior!

As I wrote last week, as People of God, it is our moral, civic, and spiritual obligation to care for one another by taking the necessary steps to slow the spread of this virus while continuing to serve our communities with generosity and hope.  The Missioners and I had our Monthly Meeting via ZOOM on Monday.  They have been working remotely, with the exception of our Missioners for Finance.  We continue to seek ways to support and resource those entrusted to our care, EACH OF YOU, who are part of the faith communities of the Episcopal Church in Northern Indiana.

Monday afternoon, I participated in the weekly ZOOM Conference Call with our Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, along with staff persons from Episcopal Relief and Development and the Church Pension Group.  This 30-minute call provided all of us with information that I have been able to share with our clergy and lay leaders.

On Tuesday, the Clergy of our diocese and I initiated our Weekly ZOOM Conference Call.  After checking in, we shared what was working as well as what needed our attention.  Based on the news release from our Presiding Bishop last week and the recent actions taken by the Governor of Indiana, we discussed suspending in Person Public Worship until further notice.  We then engaged in conversation about to provide VIRTUAL WORSHIP for Holy Week and Easter Day.  A Planning Group was convened to begin engaging in this important work on behalf of all of us.  More on that later.  We shared some of our learnings and challenges in communication as well as concerns regarding ongoing financial support for our faith communities.  I encouraged us to reflect on the question “how are each of us attending to self-care?”  It is important during these stressful times to be gentle with one another, attend to regular patterns as best you can and maintain a rhythm of prayer and reflection.  Lastly, I want to thank Canon Michelle Walker who has agreed to serve as our point person with questions regarding asking for a two-month waiver in paying Clergy Pension assessments.  And, I’m grateful to Canon Terri Bays who has agreed to be serve as our point person with issues on concerns that may be directed to Episcopal Relief and Development e.g. FEMA assistance with food pantries or feeding programs in our diocese.

On Wednesday morning, I was part of our Weekly ZOOM Conference Call with the Bishops of Province V to check in with one another as well as share resources and concerns.

On Wednesday afternoon, we had our Weekly ZOOM Conference Call with our Clergy and Lay Leaders.  Items on the agenda included an opportunity for folks to check in, to share what’s working as well as what needs our attention. There were 36 participants on the call.

We engaged in a conversation which led to a consensus that in Person Public Worship should be suspended until further notice, especially given the actions taken by our Governor this week. 

We then reviewed a plan for Digital Worship for Holy Week and Easter that can be found here.

The next item on our agenda was to get an update on the financial realities that we are or may soon be facing.  As I said last week in my pastoral update, I encouraged every faith community to make it their first priority to pay their clergy and lay staff, secondly, their utilities bills and insurance and thirdly, their diocesan assessment.  We will continue to review our financial realities on a weekly basis.

At the end of our call, I invited our clergy and lay leaders to be attentive to self-care which includes our physical, emotional and spiritual lives.  Our next Weekly ZOOM Conference Call with Clergy and Lay Leaders is scheduled for next Wednesday, 1 April at 2 p.m. EDT / 1 p.m. CDT.

Remember, we are called to be People of Hope during these worrisome and anxious days!

I want to conclude with a Collect from Week 4 of Signs of Life:  Why Church Matters focused on SHELTER.  Let us pray…Beloved God, who, in your mercy, shelters us with your tender embrace; grant that we may know you as our one true refuge from the world of suffering, and help us to offer compassionate sanctuary to our neighbors in need; even as you dwell within and among us, one holy and undivided Trinity, forever and ever.  Amen.

Doug

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Douglas E. Sparks
VIII Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana

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