Friends in Christ,
These have been strange and uncertain days for all of us as we absorb constantly changing news about the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Each day seems to bring new restrictions in where we can go and new anxiety about who might be infected and how they will receive testing, treatment, and care. As people of faith, we proclaim hope in a God who is powerful over every force of evil and we work to care for the weakest and most vulnerable among us.
To that end, the session of Eliot Church has elected to cancel all in-person church meetings, including Sunday worship through March 29. We will not gather for worship, for Bible Study groups, or choir practice. St. Paul’s Kitchen will serve bagged meals as take-out only. For the time being, the church staff will continue to work either in the office or from home. You can continue to connect with all of us by phone, email, text message, or social media.
While we cannot meet in person, we remain a community of faith and we can work together to uphold our covenant to love God and love our neighbors. The best way to stay connected with Eliot Church in this period is through our Facebook page: http://facebook.com/eliotpres. You can view our page without a Facebook account, but you will need an account to leave comments or send messages. Here are a few of the ways you will be able to connect virtually:
- Join us for virtual worship on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom. This is a change from the original plan to stream on Facebook Live — though we may still offer both ways to join. Zoom is more interactive and gives more technical function so that you can participate more fully in the service and see your fellow worshipers. We’ll share the link to join each week by email and on Facebook.
- Pastor Heather will conduct “Facebook Live” office hours EVERY DAY except Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. beginning Tuesday, March 17. Log in for a short time of prayer and connection.
- Use Facebook Messenger to share private intercessory prayer requests. These will be passed along to the Deacons. Think of Facebook Messenger as a virtual “green prayer slip” that you’re used to finding in the Sunday bulletin.
- Follow our Facebook page to get resources for faith formation at home and other ideas for surviving and staying sane during this time.
Beyond Facebook, Pastor Heather and the deacons will be working to make personal contact with members and friends of the congregation by phone and text message. There are those willing to assist elderly members who need assistance with grocery shopping and other errands. We have a fund that could provide some financial assistance for those who lose income due to the Coronavirus. Jake Hoffman, our Sunday School superintendent, will be emailing resources to families for faith formation during quarantine.
We also encourage you to stay connected with fellow members using whatever forms of communication are most familiar and comfortable to you. Call and check on each other. Send simple text messages of friendship and encouragement — even funny cat pictures to make someone smile! The Christian friendship we share is vital to enduring this season, and it need not only come through official church channels.
In this season, the church also continues to need your support. We are committed to paying our staff even if their workloads are reduced. Our building will still need regular maintenance and incur regular expenses. If you are able, please maintain your giving during this season either by mailing your offering to the church office or by giving online. You can use this link to give once or set up a recurring gift. Those with more financial ability might even consider increasing their gift in recognition of those whose incomes may be negatively impacted by Coronavirus closures. If you have not been a regular giver before, consider doing so now.
How to reach Pastor Heather
- phone and text: (410) 300-4543
- email: pastor@eliotlowell.org
- facebook @heather.p.doss
- instagram @heather.prince.doss
In closing, I remind you of the words of Psalm 46. It crossed my path twice in the last 24 hours, perhaps a sign that I should pay attention: “God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. . . . Nations are in an uproar . . . The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”
May the peace of the the God of Jacob surround you even now,
Pastor Heather