March 27, 2020

 Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Yesterday you received an e-mail letter from our Congregational President, Michael Martucci, outlining our financial challenges due to this current coronavirus situation.  I want you to know that I share Michael's concern, as does the entire Church Council.  We have faith in our congregation which has always been there, and come through in time of need.  Most importantly, our congregation is built upon the Strong Rock of Jesus Christ.  We will never let anything, not even a nasty virus, harm our church or shake our faith.

I have a few things to share with you before the coming weekend:

Sunday Service Live-Streaming:  March 29th,  9:00 to 9:30 AM

In addition the sanctuary will be open for individual and small group prayer and Holy Communion from 8:00 to 9:00 AM, and again from 9:30 AM to 12 Noon.  Last week we had more than a dozen people come for this quiet worship time.  Maybe you want to think about coming too.

Next week we will again have the following:

Wednesday Lenten Prayers and Holy Communion:  April 1st, 12:00 to 1:00 PM

Wednesday Lenten Evening Prayer Service Live-Streaming:  April 1st, 7:00 to 7:30 PM

Please know that while you still have to live-stream on our FaceBook page, the services can now also be found on our website:  StJohnsMiddletown.org.  Many thanks to our amazing parish secretary, Belynda, who is still coming in to work, and who maintains the web-site and has made the services available on the web-site.  So those of us who do not have FaceBook, can still see the Sunday service, even if its not in real time!

Of course, the church is open for prayer and conversation every day, Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 AM to 12 Noon.

Looking ahead to Palm Sunday, we will be having the following:

Palm Sunday:  April 5th

8:00 to 9:00 AM: 

Individual and Small Group Prayer and Holy Communion in the sanctuary

9:00 to 9:30 AM:  

Live-Stream Palm Sunday Worship with the Passion of Our Lord according to St. Matthew

9:30 AM to 12 Noon:  

DRIVE-THRU  Palm Blessing and Distribution (station 1) from our Deacons

DRIVE-THRU  Prayer and Holy Communion (station 2) from Pastor

You remain in your car, drive-up to each station, roll down your windows (turn off the radio too, please), leave an offering if you wish for our congregation, and move on.  We are making the best of a difficult situation by staying safe and germ free, and yet celebrating Our Lord's triumphant entry into Jerusalem and the beginning of Holy Week as Jesus makes his journey to the cross.

Next week I will share with you our plans for Holy Week, but I can already tell you this:  we will have Live-Streamed worship both on Maundy Thursday (April 9th) and Good Friday (April 10th).

Plans for Easter Sunday are still in the works, and will be finalized by our Church Council next week.  I can promise you that we will find a way to celebrate the Resurrection of Our Lord.  The women who journeyed to the tomb are our model.  They were afraid, of course they were afraid, and with good reason.  YET they did not let their fear control them and extinguish their faith.  They went to the tomb anyway, and witnessed the amazing good news of Christ's victory over sin and death.

"Faith, not Fear."  When I say this, I do not mean we should not be afraid.  I am afraid of this ****** virus, and you should be too.  But we should not let our fear control us.  Our faith in God and in His Son should control us.  Make good choices.  Be smart.  Trust in the Lord of the Church to see us through.

See you in church, or "see you" on the computer screen!

In Christ, 
 

Pastor Rustico+