Update March 13,2020: Our Faithful Response to Coronavirus

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
With much prayer and discernment, we have made the difficult decision to cancel services this coming Sunday, March 15.

We are taking steps each week to access and be thoughtful about our response. At this time, we are still planning to resume services on March 22 but not serve communion and encourage everyone to share the peace without touching.

I am advising all other groups that are meeting this week to be thoughtful and consider if a meeting is absolutely necessary.

We are also canceling our remaining Wednesday Soup and Service Evenings.

Our Tuesday Food Pantry will continue, but we are working on making procedures to limit interactions while still providing for those in need.

Much of the precautions we are a response to the recent local response and the consultation of other Pastors and Churches.

The Episcopal Diocese on the Easter shore has canceled service for three weeks.

Grace of God Lutheran in Millsboro will be canceling services until Palm Sunday as well. This is due to the fact that all Senior centers in Delaware will be closed, and they meet in the Cheer center.

St Peters Lutheran in Ocean City has canceled this Sunday’s service and all other activities.

The local Delaware Libraries has canceled all scheduled activities until March 31.

We feel we are doing what seems appropriate to local response and best practices at this time.
In the meantime, we continue to be people connected through our faith in Jesus Christ. Our Delaware-Maryland Synod and Bishop Gohl will be providing an online worship experience on Sundays at 10 AM. They will stream online via Facebook and YouTube. I will post links and instructions as they are available.
I will send a reflection on this Sunday’s readings and offer a meditation for Wednesdays through Lent via email and our Facebook page.

The current coronavirus situation is difficult for all of us. I have been in constant prayer about how we as a community deal with a world in crisis. We have fear and anxiety. We are called to acknowledge our fears, anxieties and frustrations. And continue to respond in trust to God.

This Sunday’s Psalm is Psalm 95. It is usually sung as a canticle for morning prayer.
O come, let us sing to the Lord;
    let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
    let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
3 For the Lord is a great God,
    and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth;
    the heights of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
    and the dry land, which his hands have formed.
6 O come, let us worship and bow down,
    let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
7 For he is our God,
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    and the sheep of his hand.
 
This Psalm is a call to worship God, the Creator of heaven and earth. We remember that God is our God, and we are his people. Let us continue to trust God, knowing that we belong to him and are cared for by our Creator who loves us.
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Be Kind to One Another. Check-in with one another during this time. Pray for each other. Remain in Hope, Keep the Faith and Endure with Love.
Blessings,
Pastor Mark