May 7, 2020
Recording History: In an effort to learn and wrestle with the reality of this COVID19 pandemic, I have been searching for news, social records, and any data possible from the flu pandemic of 1918. We find snippets here and there. Some poetry. Some photos. Some literature. But it’s not enough, at least for me. In an effort to provide a historical record of THIS experience right now, I would appreciate you contributing to our story. I will document our shared experience. There are two ways.
Send a picture – email rector@stpaulschatham.org – of how you are worshipping at home (a home altar, a TV/computer screen, books/prayer books etc);
Reflect on the question asked by the Israelites as they wandered for 40 years in the wilderness, “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7) Write your answer, “I’m learning that the Lord is among us . . . . “ Email your reflection to Rev. Mary.
Forward Day by Day
Missing the Forward Day by Day booklets? Click here for an online version of the daily meditations. We have yet to receive our physical copies of the May-July booklets, but will let you know when they are available for pick-up.
COVID Learnings: Regional Zoom conversations with the Bishop - THURSDAY MAY 14
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on every aspect of our lives gives us quite a lot to talk about. Bishop Hughes is eager to spend time in conversation with the members of the diocese, to reflect and consider what we, our churches, and our communities have learned and experienced as we have adjusted to the changes this time has demanded of us.
The Bishop has grouped all congregations into eight Regional Ministry Networks, named for saints and further identified by geography. She is inviting the parishes of each Regional Ministry Network to join her for a Zoom meeting. St. Paul’s is in the Evelyn Underhill region and our meeting will be held at 6 PM on Thursday May 14.
It is not necessary to register for these meetings. ALL members, lay and clergy, are encouraged to attend.
The information needed to log in to each Zoom meeting will be emailed to each church’s leaders, who will in turn email it to the congregation the day before the scheduled meeting.
Evelyn Underhill was an English Anglo-Catholic writer and pacifist known for her numerous works on religion and spiritual practice, in particular Christian mysticism. In the English-speaking world, she was one of the most widely read writers on such matters in the first half of the 20th century.
A message from our Bishop, The Rt. Rev. Carlye J. Hughes: https://dioceseofnewark.org/bishops-vlog/there-no-shame-asking-help
Resources from state mental health organizations:
https://www.nj211.org/mental-health-resources
Resources from Chatham Borough
https://www.chathamborough.org/chatham/About%20Chatham/Tri-Town%20Cares/
Prayers at time of Death
Sadly, because hospitals have barred all visitors including clergy at this time, most deaths in hospitals occur without family present. In the event that you receive a call that a loved one is dying, I have included the PDF, “Prayers to Say Goodbye to a Loved One When Separated.” click here
Hopefully this will not be needed, but please feel free to share this as needed.
Our Vestry has donated $6,000 to the needs of our community at this time (specifically to the Chatham Emergency Squad in honor of and thanksgiving for parishioners who serve: Amanda Stent, Craig Alperowitz, and Todd Huffman, to the FLAG (Front-Line Appreciation Group) of Chatham and Madison; and to a fund reserved for those in need of groceries or other assistance due to job loss).
If you are in need of gift cards for groceries or other basics, please reach out to Rev. Mary (rector@stpaulschatham.org).
In addition to these organizations, the Vestry would also like to invite your donations, in-kind to North Porch (see below), the Morris County Interfaith Food Pantry, and your used/discarded Ipads or Iphones to our own parishioners, The Mason Family, who are repurposing them for use in isolation hospital units. We are additionally in need of prayer shawls. Please leave food, baby supplies and prayer shawls on the lower level of St. Paul’s building, by the Church Office; and any used Ipads may be dropped with Simon Mason (simon@themasons.net).
New North Porch Donation Information
Thank you all for supporting North Porch. We continue to serve clients during the pandemic. Our distribution system has been adapted to comply with the current state regulations. Our centers are closed (with the exception of Jersey City where supplies are being distributed safely from the Triangle Park Community Center.) Our coordinators work from home taking client orders by phone. Orders are packed in bags and our Director distributes the supplies each week at outdoor locations in Newark, Dover, Morristown, Hackettstown and Paterson as needed. We are serving up to 60 clients per week. Our greatest needs are baby wipes, Enfamil formula 12 0z packages (yellow label) and large size diapers, 4, 5, and 6. While we are still accepting donations at the church, we are encouraging our supporters to donate in a safer way. Here’s how
*Monetary donations can be made through our website at www.northporch.org
*Purchase online with direct shipping to our Dover location. For convenience, we have created an Amazon Wish List linkhttps://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/17M8KS15SFELW?ref_=wl_share Please ship items to this address. North Porch Women and Infants’ Center, 11 South Bergen St. Dover, NJ 07801
Questions? Contact Rev. Ellen at Ellen@stpaulschatham.org
Vestry Meeting Summary
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
April 22, 2020
The St. Paul’s Vestry attended their second Zoom meeting on April 22, 2020.
We viewed Weston Almond’s “Mashable” video – where he interviewed Mary on how the church has changed due to the corona virus. After the video the Vestry reflected on how we are still “the church.”
We are reaching out more to distant parishioners via Zoom.
Engaging with everyone rather than small parts of the coffee hour participants.
Church attendance by video is higher than our previous in-person church attendance.
Parishioners are divided into small groups, which have led to closer connections.
We continue to support Family Promise, although in new ways.
We are sending masks to parishioners and other members of our community.
We offer prayers over the phone to people who are dying.
We are collecting iPad and other devices and sending them to hospitals to connect corona virus patients with loved ones.
We are (safely) delivering prayer shawls, and care packages to those with COVID19.
We continue donating to North Porch and the Food Pantry.
Some parishioners serve the Chatham Emergency Squad, helping their communities.
Outreach: We decided on $2,000 each this month for 1) Those who lost income (for basic needs like groceries), 2) the Chatham Rescue Squad and 3) FLAG (Front-Line Appreciation Group). North Porch and the Food Pantry receive direct donations from parishioners. Parishioners who are struggling should reach out to either Rev. Mary or Rev. Mary. Hotline and resource information is on website.
Finance (Jed) - Pledges are up compared to last year, our investment account is down because the market is down and our donations from users of the church are down because no one can use our facilities. We have applied for the PPP grant/loan of $55,000 and received a $30,000 grant from the Diocesan Ward J. Herbert Fund to help pay for the necessary new boilers we installed. Budgeting at this time is very difficult, but Jed offered some projections should the pandemic continue to keep people from gathering in our building.
Endowment Policy Proposal (Mary and Jed) – Mary shared a draft for Endowment Policy Proposal for discussion. Based on our discussion, Jed will present an updated recommendation to the Vestry next month for approval.
Youth (Ellen) – The youth have been gathering weekly by Zoom, and have virtual shared movie nights together as well.
Buildings and Grounds (Mary) – Sam Dixon, our sexton, has been checking on the building. The Food Bank and North Porch drop-off is downstairs by the Sprout House entrance.
Bishop’s Mandates (Mary) – The Bishop sent prayers that can be said over the phones for our contact groups. There are new rules:
Funerals – we can’t gather in the church or church parking lot. One clergy person can livestream to a family. Funeral home is limited to 5 or 8 participants, that includes the funeral home staff.
Church services - Only 3: one lay reader, one clergy and one tech person are allowed for church services. Steve assists from home, and Rev. Mary also uses Zoom from home.
Visits to the church – we can’t go to the church for gardening or any other church purpose, except to drop-off donations.
The meeting closed with the closing prayer from the Compline Service.