Calvary is suspending worship services beginning March 15.

At the strong urging of the Bishop, and with the advice of public health officials, Calvary is suspending public worship until at least Palm Sunday.

Dear Friends,

While we all hoped to gather at least once more before limiting our physical contact, it is now clear that time is of the essence. The most responsible step we can take to care for the most vulnerable members of our parish, our church, our town, and our region is to voluntarily stop meeting in groups of any significant size. Our worship services and formation events clearly fall into that category. We will not, therefore, meet for worship this Sunday, March 15, either in the morning or evening. Our Food and Formation series for Lent is cancelled as well. While we hope to be able to resume worship on Palm Sunday, we will have to evaluate that decision as events unfold.

These circumstances will present a challenge to our understanding of what it means to be the church. How will we be the hands and feet of Christ in a world of social distancing? What opportunities to observe sabbath might this allow where none existed before? Can the technologies which have seemed to divide us be used to bring us together? While we work to answer these questions, we can take heart in the words of St. Paul:

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:35-39The clergy and staff of Calvary will meet on Monday to evaluate how we can offer spiritual and material support through this period. I urge you to participate in this effort through by praying for one another, by reaching out by phone, email, or social media to your friends and neighbors, and by letting us know as you become aware of your own needs or the needs of others. The Diocese has compiled an extensive list of resources, including resources for worship at home. Please keep an eye on our website, our Facebook page, and your inbox to get the latest on our services and other activities.

I am grateful for the community of faithful people that is Calvary, and I am eager for us to be together in worship again soon.

Peace,

The Reverend J. Clarkson
Rector