A Statement from the Rector

A STATEMENT FROM THE RECTOR TO ST. STEPHEN’S

MARCH 16, 2020

The Wardens and I have been in almost constant contact over the last few weeks discussing how St. Stephen’s should respond to the Coronavirus crisis. We have taken tentative and precautionary steps, trying to follow Diocesan standards and the example of other Episcopal congregations.

            Yesterday (March 15), after Mass, the Wardens and I met with Dr. John Baird, St. Stephen’s member and semi-retired from Cass County Public Health in Public Health and General Preventative Medicine. John, as you all know, is well-trained and well-prepared in how to respond to pandemics. After that discussion, and after deep prayer, and in consultation with the Wardens, I made the decision to close the doors to public worship at St. Stephen’s beginning on Sunday, March 22.

            This was a hard decision for me. I have been committed to walk a middle road between the extreme reactions to this crisis. I am also of a very strong conviction that the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is an important source of spiritual consolation in times of crisis.

            However, as I have said again and again, my main commitment is to the health and well-being on our congregation. I do not want St. Stephen’s or anything we do here to be the reason one becomes ill. I would rather err on the side of overreacting and being safe, than be guilty of underreacting and causing further illness to others.  

My main priority as your priest is your health and well-being, both spiritually and physically.

            With that in mind, I am asking the congregation of St. Stephen’s to do the following:

MASSES: Beginning on March 22, we will be suspending regular attendance at both the Sunday and Wednesday Masses. Please note that Mass will still continue to be celebrated “in house,” but with only Fr. Jamie, John Anderson, James Mackay and a very small group of assistants. Beginning this Wednesday, March 18, all of our Masses will be live-streamed so that everyone may participate in the Mass via Facebook.

FACEBOOK: I know that several members of our congregation have avoided Facebook for various reasons, and I am empathetic to those reasons. However, for the sake of remaining in community with St. Stephen’s, I am asking St. Stephen’s members to please join Facebook, if for no other reason than to join the St. Stephen’s Facebook group.

            Please know that you can join Facebook under an “alias” so that no one will know it’s you. Also know that just because you join Facebook does not mean you have to accept “friend requests” from others.

To join the Facebook St. Stephen’s group, please go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/52039214842/ Press the ‘Request to Join” button. That request will be sent to me. I am the only one who sees it and I am the only one who “approves” members to this group

If you have any questions about this, please send me an email or a text and I will help walk you through it. Please do not send me emails or comments about the “evils” of Facebook. I do not have the time or the energy to discuss those matters at this time.  

In addition to the live-streamed Masses (which one can either watch live on Sundays at 11:00 a.m. or Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. or at any time after those times), regular updates will be listed on the Facebook group. I will also update our webpage regularly, as well as our blog (ststephensfargo.blogspot.com)

INTERCESSIONS: Please send your prayer intercessions to me at my email frjamieparsley@gmail.com or by text or by Facebook message. Everyone on the prayer list will be prayed for during the Masses and during my own personal daily prayers.

CONTACT: I, along with John Anderson, will make every effort to make regular pastoral contact with all of you during this time of social isolation. I will be making phone calls or sending emails or text messages to check in. Please respond to these communications so we can remain in contact with each other.

To make my job a bit easier, please regularly check-in with me if you are able just to let me know you and your loved ones are well.

IF YOU ARE ILL: If you are ill, or just in need of contact or prayer, please do not hesitate to contact me at any time.

PLEDGES/OFFERINGS: Please do keep up your pledges during this time! Please know you can still mail offerings through regular mail and by pressing the “donate” button on the webpage (ststephensfargo.org)

PRAY: Please PRAY! Pray for our congregation, for our members, your wardens, your vestry, your organist and musicians, your Candidate for Holy Orders as he prepares for ordination, and me, your priest.

Pray for your neighbors, our country and all those affected by this crisis throughout the world.

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Keep healthy and keep safe! Please socially/physically isolate as best you can during this time.

Also, please forgive any lapses or information that doesn’t get conveyed. The Wardens, the Vestry and I are all working overtime to keep St. Stephen’s running and on task during this strangely uncertain time, while also trying to maintain our own health.

In my sermon yesterday, I preached that the message we receive from God again and again throughout scripture is, “Do not fear.” That message speaks loudly to all of us today. The God who loves us and knows us intimately is telling each of us right now: “Do not fear.” Please hold these words close to you as we journey together through these uncharted waters.

Jesus, you lived in a time in which illness and mass sickness were common,
you knew the loneliness, the weakness
and the degradation times of stress and uncertainty bring;
you knew what times of fear entail.
Jesus, your suffering is the only hope,
the only reconciliation for those who endure these issues.
Be with us all as we grapple with these uncertain times.
Be a promise to us
that these present anxieties will cease;
be the hand that we can hold;
be present, Savior, for we need you now.

Fr. Jamie Parsley, Rector

Please keep in contact:

Website: Ststephensfargo.org

Blog: ststephensfargo.blogspot.com

Twitter: twitter.com/ststephensfargo

Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/52039214842

Instagram: instagram.com/ststephensfargo/?hl=en