Dear Friends in Christ in the Parish of the St. Lawrence:

The news from our Bishop that our Church buildings will remain closed through Holy Week and Easter has surfaced many emotions within me and, I am sure, within you. (You can find the Special Covid Communique here) Some of you will feel disappointed that we cannot worship in our Churches for the second Easter in a row. Others may feel relieved due to concerns about the presence of COVID-19 and its variants in our community, and at the limited number of people who have been vaccinated. My feelings are mixed. However, the best advice being given to the Bishop is that we can help protect and heal our communities by being closed. I need to trust in that; let go of my natural human feelings of disappointment; and embrace anew the gift of Easter that cannot be contained in a building, however beautiful and holy; nor overcome by the darkness of illness, suffering and even death itself. We reaffirm our hope: Christ has died, Christ is Risen, Christ will come again!

Our continuation in the Diocesan “red stage” for the foreseeable future highlights the importance of our virtual services. We will continue to live-stream services on Facebook from our studio-sanctuary at Trinity Church, Cornwall for this Sunday, Lent 5, March 21 at 10:00 a.m.; Passion Sunday with the Liturgy of the Palms at 10:00 a.m., March 28; Maundy Thursday, April 1 at 7:00 p.m.; Good Friday, April 2 at 11:00 a.m.; Holy Saturday, April 3 at 8:00 p.m.; Easter Sunday, April 4 at 10:00 a.m. (Services are listed on the Website’s Parish Calendar)

I am making provision for blessed Palm Crosses to be available for safe pick up in the parking lots of Christ Church, St. John’s, and Trinity, during the afternoon of March 28 (details to follow). We are also working to provide on-line devotional material to support our walk with Jesus on the Way of the Cross in Holy Week.

Peace:
Fr. Peter+