Faith, Peace, Wisdom and COVID-1

Hello church family,

Peace be with you! I'd like to offer you an exhortation to prayer and an update on Advent's ongoing preparation and response to COVID-19. 

First, I'd encourage you to pray and meditate in three ways:

• For faith amidst fear. 

  • Pray for the death-conquering hope of the Gospel to resound in your own heart and the world over. This is an opportunity for Christians to bear witness to a love greater than fear. 

    • Scripture for meditation: 1 Cor 15:55 | “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

• For peace amidst panic. 

  • Pray for the peace of God to rule your heart and mind, that the church of God would be a faithful and non-anxious presence as the world navigates this threat. 

    • Scripture for meditation: Phil 4:4-7 | Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

• For wisdom amidst chaos.

  • Pray for world, national, local, and church leadership to wisely implement informed protocols in their local contexts, and especially for those in healthcare to safely and wisely address the virus and care for those who have it.

    • Scripture for meditation: Is 33:6 | "...and he will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure."

Second, as we reject fear, anxiety, and panic and put on faith and peace, wisdom does invite us to consider how we can minimize risk to our community, especially those who are immunosuppressed or over 60. Here are practical steps the ACNA leadership has endorsed as wisdom and Advent will be implementing:

A. Social distancing and self-quarantine guidelines:

• Please do not come to Advent services, small groups, or other events if you or anyone in your household has had any cold or flu symptoms within the last 24 hours.

• Please do not come to Advent services, small groups, or other events within one week of traveling by airplane. If you have travelled, we'd encourage you to self-quarantine for one week while monitoring symptoms. 

• Those over 60 and those who are immunosuppressed should feel free to consider worshiping at home on Sundays until further notice. A fellow ACNA church and valued ministry partner in Denver, Wellspring Englewood, offers a live stream at https://www.wellspringenglewood.com/live, and the clergy of Advent would be privileged to arrange to bring you communion. Having said that, this is completely your choice: If you decide to remain home, you will be missed and yet your absence will be understood. If you decide to attend worship, your presence will be celebrated. 

• A summary in the words of our own Archbishop Foley Beach: Due to the possibility of the spread of the coronavirus, those individuals over age 60 and anyone who is 'immune compromised' should consider worshipping at home on Sundays until further notice. Anyone with any symptoms of cold/flu should stay home and self-quarantine. Anyone who has travelled in any affected area of this country, or another country with an outbreak, must stay home and self-quarantine. 

B. Communion: 

• While some churches move to offering communion only in one kind, we'd like to still offer the bread and wine. However, we will do so using only one method: Those serving bread will dip the wafer (we will use wafers for a season) into the wine and then place the wafer in the palm of your hand.

• All those handling the elements will thoroughly sanitize their hands.

• We are using a much stronger wine to further safeguard against pathogens. 

• We will sanitize the communion rail immediately prior to the service. 

C. Other unique adjustments for this season:

• Please sanitize your hands and the hands of your children on your way into worship.

• We will continue to refrain from physical contact during the passing of the peace and doxology. Physical touch is important and we look forward to returning to a more human way of exchanging the peace in the future. 

• We will not pass the offering basket. Instead, the baskets will be positioned for you to drop your offering off during communion. You may also wish to enroll in online giving, especially as this season may mean more irregular attendance. 

Brothers and sisters, as we wisely love our church family with these and other precautions, put on faith, peace, and wisdom. God is sovereign, even over disease and death, and he invites us to abundant life even now! We can walk with the Spirit through these strange times being assured that COVID-19 is not catching him off guard. In the meantime, I am sorry for the need to take these steps and look forward to returning to normalcy. Please be on the lookout for ways to reach out to, care for, and support one another and our wider community and don't hesitate to reach out if you have special concerns or needs. 

The peace of Christ be with you!

Jordan+

[Jesus cleanses the leper, Mosaic detail, 12th Century, Cathedral of the Assumption, Monreale, Sicily]