March 13, 2020
Concerning COVID-19
Dear Friends,
In this time of great fear, anxiety and uncertainty, I offer you the following words of comfort:
Do not fear, for I am with you, Do not be afraid, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
The COVID-19 infection is spreading rapidly and impacting all aspects of our daily lives. While there are a lot of unknowns, ECF, like other Episcopal faith communities, is following the advice and directives of our federal, state and local authorities, including those relating to “social distancing”. Our immediate priority is the health and safety of our staff, clients and other constituents while we plan on ways to minimize long-term disruption to our work and our ongoing mission to the wider church. To that end, we are encouraging employees to work from home, postponing gatherings and other events and imposing a moratorium on all travel.
While we all need to implement suitable precautionary measures in our unique contexts, we must remember that as followers of Jesus, we are called to love and care for each other especially during this most difficult period. Reach out to an elderly neighbor who may need groceries or medicine. Contribute to an agency providing emergency assistance. Pray for those already affected, not just by the virus, but with anxiety about work, paying bills, childcare and the health of family and friends.
I realize that you may feel overwhelmed with the noise of all the information and misinformation around us, but we do want to share some helpful resources here that you can access at your own pace. Also, as more of our ministry occurs virtually over the next few weeks, I encourage you to utilize the many tools, resources and articles on a variety of topics on ECF Vital Practices.
These are challenging times, but we are in this together. Trusting in God’s healing presence in our lives, let us stay vigilant, calm, attentive and hopeful.
Faithfully,
Donald V. Romanik
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