The St. Andrew’s Easter Project - Please submit your video by Wednesday, April 8!

Background

This Easter, we will hear the story of Jesus’ resurrection as told in John’s gospel.  Easter is the high holy day of Christianity, the day that gives everything else and all of our lives meaning.  Most years we celebrate Easter together in worship, with glorious music, exquisite flowers, a (hopefully!) rousing sermon, and shared Eucharist.  This year, our lived Easter experience will actually be much closer to that of Mary Magdalene, who was alone when she met the resurrected Jesus.  So let’s take this opportunity to engage deeply with the Easter story from our new vantage point of social distancing.  What insights do we gain about the meaning of Easter when we encounter it in a more personal, individual way?

What is the St. Andrew’s Easter Project?

The St. Andrew’s Easter Project will be a collection of videos filmed by parishioners in which they share reflections about John’s Easter story.  It will be a way for us to hear from one another about what Jesus’ resurrection means in our lives right now.

Who can participate?

Anyone and everyone. Your video can be of just you yourself; or of your family all together sharing their reflections. You can be 5 years old or 95 years old. If you have a smartphone or laptop with filming capacity but don’t know how to make a video, we have folks who can talk you through the process. If you don’t have access to video technology, we can find someone to interview you by phone and record your reflections that way.  We can work together to ensure that everyone who wants to participate is included.

How do I prepare to make my video?

Read John 20:1-18.  Read it again.  And probably again.

Think and pray about these questions:

• What part of the story resonates the most for you right now?  Why?
• Where and how have you encountered the risen Lord?

Plan what you want to say to answer those two questions. Your video should be no more than 3-5 minutes long.

How do I submit my video?

If you took your video on your computer: 

Start an email to be sent to  standrew@standrewsepiscopalchurch.net. Then click on the paperclip to attach a video. (When you choose your video, it will probably tell you that it is too large and it's sending it as a google drive link.  That is fine.) Once the file is attached, simply send the email.

If you took your video on your phone:

More than likely you'll need to save your video to Google drive and send it that way.  Here’s how: 

Click on the video, then the share button, and then on the Google drive symbol. 

Once the video has been saved to google drive, start an email to be sent to  standrew@standrewsepiscopalchurch.net. Then click on the paperclip to attach and choose “insert from drive.”  Once the file is attached, simply send the email.

If you have any questions or concerns, email our Easter Project technology person, Raven Cadena, raven.cadena@gmail.com

Focus on “Worship” – St. Andrew’s new mission statement, “Building God’s Kingdom Through Worship, Outreach, and Fellowship”

The irony is not lost on me that this reflection focuses on worship at precisely the moment in which we are unable to participate in worship as we’ve (almost) always engaged in it before.  While I briefly considered waiting to write this reflection, I realized that now might be the perfect time to examine worship at St. Andrew’s and why it matters enough to be one of only eight words chosen for our new mission statement.

When most of us think of worship, I imagine we associate it with sanctuary, liturgy, ritual and/or music.  A little research indicates that the word originated from the Middle English word worshipe, which meant “worthiness, respect, reverence paid to a divine being.”  That origin suggests that our understanding of worship can be a flexible one provided we emphasize reverence and respect to a divine being.  In other words, while certain images immediately rush to mind when we think of worship at St. Andrew’s, our current inability to live out those specific images does not mean we cannot worship in new ways.

For instance, if you’re following your weekly newsletters, daily emails, the church website, or our Facebook page, you will notice:  opportunities for worship through Anne’s and Marc’s daily reflection videos; a daily Signs of Life Lenten “challenge” and prayer; and musical selections from Brad.  Coming soon will be new chances to engage with different forms of worship through a special Stations of the Cross offering and a live, interactive Palm Sunday service (and perhaps more!)  As our mission statement reminds us, worship – in whatever form it takes – is but one of the ways we at St. Andrew’s will realize our goal of building God’s kingdom. And until we’re back together in our church building, perhaps “being the church” in this moment means, among other things, embracing new forms of worship that might bring us all a little closer to God.  

Lindsey Nicolai      

The Easter Project

No public worship until after Easter

In a recent letter to our diocese, Bishop Haynes wrote:  In light of Bishop Curry's advice, the advice of health professionals monitoring the pandemic and the directions of government officials, public gatherings for worship continue to be suspended in the Diocese of Southern Virginia until further notice - a time frame which regrettably includes the liturgies for Holy Week and Easter . She concluded her letter this way:  

I do realize that none of this is news that you wanted to hear today. I did not want to deliver it. I do want to remind you, however, that in this time when social isolation might cause us to feel disconnected and separate, there is nothing, absolutely nothing that can separate us from the love of God in Christ (Romans 8:38-39). Not even the coronavirus! And if we all make our life in Christ, from whom we are joined, then we cannot be separated from one other either!

So what does this mean for us at St. Andrew’s?

It means that the clergy and staff are hard at work creating ways for us to walk through Holy Week and celebrate Easter together online, in print, and in spirit. Good Friday will still include the Stations of the Cross. On Easter we will set up the flower cross in front of the church for parishioners and neighbors to decorate while keeping the required social distance. We are inviting everyone to participate in “The Easter Project” (see below). We are working on details of all our upcoming services and will keep you posted. 

The St. Andrew’s Easter Project

Background

This Easter, we will hear the story of Jesus’ resurrection as told in John’s gospel. Easter is the high holy day of Christianity, the day that gives everything else and all of our lives meaning. Most years we celebrate Easter together in worship, with glorious music, exquisite flowers, a (hopefully!) rousing sermon, and shared Eucharist. This year, our lived Easter experience will actually be much closer to that of Mary Magdalene, who was alone when she met the resurrected Jesus. So let’s take this opportunity to engage deeply with the Easter story from our new vantage point of social distancing. What insights do we gain about the meaning of Easter when we encounter it in a more personal, individual way?

What is the St. Andrew’s Easter Project?

The St. Andrew’s Easter Project will be a collection of videos filmed by parishioners in which they share reflections about John’s Easter story. It will be a way for us to hear from one another about what Jesus’ resurrection means in our lives right now.

Who can participate?

Anyone and everyone. Your video can be of just you yourself; or of your family all together sharing their reflections. You can be 5 years old or 95 years old. If you have a smartphone or laptop with filming capacity but don’t know how to make a video, we have folks who can talk you through the process. If you don’t have access to video technology, we can find someone to interview you by phone and record your reflections that way. We can work together to ensure that everyone who wants to participate is included.

How do I prepare to make my video?

1. Read John 20:1-18. Read it again. And probably again.
2. Think and pray about these questions: a. What part of the story resonates the most for you right now? Why? b. Where and how have you encountered the risen Lord?
3. Plan what you want to say to answer those two questions. Plan for your video to be no more than 3-5 minutes long.
4. Don’t make your video yet, as we still have some technology details to work out.

How will I submit my video?

Stay tuned for specific details coming soon.

Message from our Senior Warden and Stewardship Chair

Dear Friends,

We hope and pray that this letter finds all of our St. Andrew’s family safe and healthy. We are certainly in challenging times right now, but – with God’s supreme love and guidance – we will get through this!

We are very fortunate to have Anne and Marc offering daily prayers and worship through online communications. On Sunday, we are able to worship with them by signing in to their message through our website or Facebook. Please also be reminded that as the business of St. Andrew’s continues, it is important to make every effort, if we are able, to continue contributions through our pledge and/or non-pledge commitments. Our gifts, both large and small, are critical to our financial stability. There are many ways to do this…checks may be mailed to the church, utilizing the “Bill Pay” systems at our banks; and Rachel Roby is working on ways to facilitate contributions using credit cards…more on this to follow.

In any case, please keep the well being of our Parish in your prayers. As we continue to live through these difficult times, please know that you are in our prayers. Stay safe, stay healthy, and let us all try to stay in touch with each other by phone, text, email, or social media.  

Should you need our help please feel free to contact us.

Blessings to all,

Chris Robinson, Senior Warden

Doug Burgoyne, Stewardship Chair

A Very Present Help

Years ago, my mother called with the upsetting news that my brother was believed to be having a heart attack. His family was asking for prayers. The words of two psalms immediately came to mind:

• From Psalm 46: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble. 
• And from Psalm 121: I lift up my eyes to the hills; from where is my help to come? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.

Those two psalms kept swirling in my head, and a trusting peace came over me in the midst of that storm.

Now, in the midst of a storm that affects everyone, no exceptions, we are in the fortunate position of being able to draw some reassurance from the Bible and our Hymnal. Sadly, not everyone has these resources in their consciousness.

• From Hymn 671: Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I (we) have already come; ‘tis grace that brought me (us) safe thus far, and grace will lead me (us) home.
• From Hymn 652: …speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire, O still, small voice of calm.
• From Hymn 388: Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail, in thee do we trust, nor find thee to fail; thy mercies how tender! How firm to the end! Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend!

These words, among many others, have sustained followers of Our Lord for many generations. Now is our time. 

 

-Brad Norris, Minister of Music