BEGINNING IMMEDIATELY AND AT LEAST UNTIL EASTER, NO ONE WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE CHURCH OFFICE UNLESS IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. IF YOU NEED TO GO TO THE CHURCH OFFICE, YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AHEAD OF TIME WITH HELEN AT 717-657-8583. PLEASE DO NOT JUST "DROP IN."
ST. ANDREW’S DURING A PANDEMIC
The past 10 months have been like no other! And we don’t know what the next 10 months will bring.
But at this time (the beginning and end of the year—both on the church calendar and the secular calendar), it seems like a good time to look both backward and forward.
Looking backward, even though it has been a time of great stress, trials, and change, we have had some spectacular successes.
1. We have distributed 13 Thanksgiving baskets, 13 Christmas baskets, sent out college student boxes, continued our outreach with the Stephens’ Ministry Program, and held our annual Yard Sale
2. We have survived the temporary halting of our public services TWICE
3. We have created a successful on-line alternative worship service that is held weekly for anyone who prefers to stay in—and they are shared far and wide (internationally, even)
4. We have reshaped our worship services TWICE and continue to provide safe worship opportunities for those who would like to attend
5. We have begun holding a very successful 4 PM Saturday service
6. We have successfully weathered the opening of a new daycare facility and the loss of income during the transition
7. We have successfully met and slightly exceeded our expected income for 2020
8. AND SO MUCH MORE………..
But this has also been a time of concern, trial and error, and great stress for many of us and for St. Andrew’s.
1. We have struggled with if and how our services and eucharist should be safely held
2. We have all felt the isolation of being away from our families—related and church
3. We worry about our own health, that of others, and that of St. Andrew’s
4. We have had to learn to be more flexible and open to change than we ever imagined
5. We have learned that we need to love our neighbors—REGARDLESS!
Please know that your staff and vestry are working together to share the word and love of Christ each and every time that we gather—even if only 2 or 3 of us.
The safety policies that we have put in place have been successful—although several members of St. Andrew’s have gotten COVID-19, NONE of those cases were contracted at church and NONE of those people who became ill had any contact with St. Andrew’s while they were contagious.
Looking forward, please do your part to come out of this pandemic stronger than before it started.
1. Continue to pray for an end to this virus.
2. Continue to show the love of Christ to anyone you encounter—in person, on the phone, in emails, even in the cars that pass by you!
3. And continue to worship as you are comfortable—in person, on the internet, over the radio, or in private. God loves each and every one of us and is pleased by our prayers and worship—no matter what form it takes.
Nelson+
Betsy
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