Dear friends and parishioners of St. Francis,

I hope this message finds you well and that you are maintaining your Holy distances when you must physically venture outside into public areas. During this time of exile, maybe we can reconnect with each other? That sounds odd to say that when we are NOT supposed to be within breathing distance of our neighbors and friends but we ARE demonstrating that in crisis we are capable of maintaining community.

I am going to start a Bible study on Thursday mornings through Facebook Live right after Morning Prayer. We are having morning and evening prayer together on Facebook Live. The youth have shared compline and their youth group time over ZOOM. Virtual Lunch via Zoom is fun! So let’s make other opportunities for community as well. I also want to hear your ideas about what you think is needed during this time and how to do it.

Your vestry has met over ZOOM as well and some have really liked that technology! Members of the vestry are calling you to check on you. If you haven’t been called perhaps your info in the Realm directory is incorrect or out of date. Please correct it and then let us know if you have not been contacted. WE WANT TO TALK TO YOU! This Sunday, the worship service broadcast will include communion. Many of you like the communion service more than Morning Prayer on Sunday.

This Lenten Season has indeed been the strangest Lent that I have ever encountered in my 39+ years and I bet it has been strange for the huge majority of you as well. Maybe, just maybe, it will bring us closer together in holiness when for the common good we are asked to stay apart. Now that’s the love of God working in us and through us! Peace to you all!

Ben+