March 26, 2020
Calvary’s COVID-19/Coronavirus Response
E-News for Friday, March 27, 2020
Hello, Calvary!
As I sit down to write this note, know that I am thinking of you. I miss seeing our greeters at the doors on Sunday mornings. I miss seeing you find your regular place in the pews. I miss walking by your classrooms on Sunday mornings and saying hello by the coffee pot. Christianity is a profoundly incarnational faith and it is so very hard to not be physically together right now, isn’t it? It is difficult to not be able to give hugs while grieving, to give a touch on the shoulder while listening, to hold hands while praying, to break bread together while communing, to sit in the same room together while singing, to sit side by side while discussing, learning, and meeting, to help someone with a load of laundry or hand them a food bag on Mondays.
While I know we are all coming to grips with what it means to be apart right now, I have been moved by the efforts we have all made to come together during this time. You are calling one another, writing one another, texting one another, ZOOM-ing one another, Facebook-ing and Instagram-ing one another...in short, you are being the “church” - the living Body of Christ to one another - in profound ways. And honestly, I am not surprised. You are being YOU, Calvary: a Christ-like community that experiences and shares God’s love - and you are being YOU in creative, flexible, and compassionate ways.
Yes, Christianity is an incarnational faith. And, Christ is also a Universal Spirit that transcends time and space. We are connected through our faith and through the presence of God. We are together while apart.
As we continue our physical distancing while seeking to remain spiritually and socially close, I hope you will take advantage of our digital platforms to connect and stay in touch. Wednesdays evenings on ZOOM are a wonderful time of casual connecting, prayer, and reflection together. Sunday worship on YouTube is a time to be connected through tradition and scripture, music and word. I know many of you got to experience the uplifting worship experiencing of The Gathering for the first time last Sunday. I’m so grateful to Pastor Alice and Matt for their musical and spiritual gifts. Whether you tune in for the traditional or contemporary worship service (or both!), know that your pastors are thinking of each of you as we create those services. We may not be able to see you through the camera lens, but we sense your spirit right in the room with us.
Speaking of worship, many of you have asked about our Director of Music, David Farwig. Thank you for your continued prayers for him and his husband Greg. David found out on Wednesday, March 25 that he did test positive for COVID-19. He is now in his second week of symptoms and it is definitely an up and down, difficult illness. He appreciates your love, prayers, and concern so much. I have contacted those who might have been in close proximity or utilized shared space with David in the last 14-21 days and have given them resources on signs/symptoms of what to watch for and what to do if they feel ill. For all of us the advice remains the same - call your doctor if you feel ill and he/she will guide you with next steps. I know you will continue to pray for David, for Greg, and for all of us who have friends and loved ones with COVID-19. I don’t know about you, but this keeps hitting closer and closer to home each day as I discover my own friends and colleagues across the United States who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Calvary will continue to do our part to help prevent the spread of this disease. Because of both city and state "stay at home" guidelines, in addition to bans on gatherings of 10+ people for a month and gatherings of 50+ people for 2 months, Calvary continues to suspend all in-person gatherings for the foreseeable future. Staff are working from home and accessible via email, ZOOM, and phone.
While it remains to be seen how long we’ll physically be apart from one another, we will continue to invest our time and resources into strengthening our bonds of faith, connection and community in the weeks ahead.
“Blest be the tie that binds,”
~Pastor Anne