From Bishop Scarfe: Being the Church
Dear Beloved in Christ,
The situation with the pandemic continues to absorb our time and attention throughout each day. And as the conditions intensify, so must our response. I had hoped that, as we approached Holy Week, we would have an opportunity to review the decision about no public gatherings for worship. Initially we were targeting March 22 and 29, as “going dark” days. It is clear to me that the timetable for non-gathering needs to be pushed out further, and unfortunately incorporates Holy Week and Easter.
On Tuesday the clergy and non-ordained leaders responsible for operations of congregations met over a couple of zoom meetings to discuss this. I said that we will not be returning to public gatherings through the month of April. This also includes church meetings, and mid-week events. Again, we can review the circumstances at our weekly zoom meeting, which I am holding with the same congregational leaders on Tuesdays, for the time being.
Of course, we pray for the speedy end to the virus' spreading around the world. We pray for those serving the health needs of the global population, and we pray for the researchers working on a vaccine response. We pray for those who have lost their livelihood and are exposed to severe vulnerability; and with our prayers, we will continue to come together virtually in worship, and especially during Holy Week. Below are details of planned virtual worship services for Holy Week. We have asked different congregations to lead us with online services, over some of which I will preside.
I don’t tie illnesses to God’s judgement. Today is St. Josephs' day, which makes me think of his namesake in Egypt, who experienced God turning bad things to good. The earth has quickly found an amazing sense of breath with the removal of our carbon footprint upon it. The air and water is cleaning itself up without our interference. And people are finding ways to connect and show concern that we may have forgotten in the rush of taking care of business.
And the Church is learning that God meets us beyond the walls of our institution; that we can pray together online, study the bible in small face-time groups; that our concern for the most vulnerable among us inspires us to make a call, or stand in line and hand out Grub to Go. There’s even a virtual abbey forming online and people are sharing creative ways of offering devotions to God. The Way of Love is still around us. And we are recognizing that we yearn for the time when we will once more receive God’s special way of being present with us in Bread and Wine. We will shout Alleluia and feel every tremor of its quaking!
There is an exile experience in all of this; and the exile was when the people of Israel took stock of their most treasured history, poetry, praise hymns, prophecies, and yes, laments. From the Pope and Archbishop of Canterbury to the Baptist pastor in the store front, all are heeding wise advice to go virtual in worship right now. And so are we. It is the loving thing to do; we can help flatten that curve.
In the peace and love of Christ,
+Alan Scarfe
The Rt. Rev. Alan Scarfe, Bishop of Iowa
Morning Prayer March 22 & 29
ALL of these services will be found on the diocesan Facebook page, the diocesan Youtube channel, and will be available on the diocesan website. Call-in option for members who only have access to phones (participants on the phone will NOT be able to be heard but will be able to hear the service): 312 626 6799 and enter the Meeting ID as prompted: 365 765 527#
March 22 - streamed from the chapel at the diocesan office 10:00am
March 29 - streamed from the chapel at the diocesan office 10:00am
Holy Week and Easter
ALL of these services will be found on the diocesan Facebook page, the diocesan Youtube channel, and will be available on the diocesan website. Call-in option for members who only have access to phones (participants on the phone will NOT be able to be heard but will be able to hear the service): 312 626 6799 and enter the Meeting ID as prompted: 365 765 527#
April 5 Palm Sunday - streamed from St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, Des Moines 10:00am
April 6 Monday Chrism Mass - streamed from St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, Des Moines 11:00am
April 7 Tuesday Morning Prayer - offered by the Rev. Tom Early (St. Alban’s, Spirit Lake) 8:30am
April 8 Wednesday Tenebrae service - offered by the Rev. Stephen Benitz and the people of St. John’s, Mason City 7:00pm
April 9 Maundy Thursday - offered by the Rev. Stephanie Moncrieff and the people of Trinity, Waterloo. 7:00pm
April 10 Good Friday - offered by the Rev. Kevin Goodrich and the people of St. John’s, Dubuque. 7:00pm
April 11 Easter Vigil - streamed from Trinity, Iowa City 8:00pm
April 12 Easter Sunday - streamed from Trinity Cathedral, Davenport 10:30am
Diocesan Meetings and Events Currently Affected
March 22 - Central Chapter Meeting moved to online via Zoom. ZOOM LINK
March 22 - Southwest Chapter Meeting moved to online via Zoom. DETAILS
March 28 - Addressing Racial Bias in Churches POSTPONED until November 14. DETAILS
March 28 - Three Rivers Chapter Meeting moved online via Zoom. DETAILS
March 29 - East Chapter Meeting moved online via Zoom . DETAILS
April 4 - One World One Church meeting - moved online
April 4 - April 4 - Metro Chapter Meeting via Zoom DETAILS
April 4-5 - New Beginnings #24 Staff Retreat - CANCELLED
April 6 - Chrism Mass - moved online
April 17 - Standing Committee, Commission on Minitry - CANCELLED
April 17-19 - New Beginnings #24 - CANCELLED
April 18 - Dismantling Racism Training - POSTPONED
April 18 - Diocesan Board of Directors - moved online
April 25 - Dismantling Racism Training - POSTPONED
April 25 - Faithful Innovations - POSTPONED to July 11
April 25 - North Central Chapter Meeting
Bishop's Visitations Currently Affected
March 22 - Bishop's Visitation with St. Martin's, Perry will be rescheduled
March 29 - Bishop's visitation with St. Paul's, Marshalltown will be rescheduled
April 19 - Bishop's visitation with St. James', Oskaloosa has been rescheduled for Aug. 16
April 26 - Bishop's visitation with Good Shepherd, Webster City will be rescheduled
