Beloved community,

As you will have heard by now, our worship services and buildings have been closed by the Diocese for a period of 60 days as we move to protect folk in this pandemic.

There will be no worship or public access to the church or the hall but we will be working on creative ways that we can stay connected to each other in prayer and worship. For a start, Victoria and I will be recording a short audio service each week that will be out by Thursday with the Sunday reading and a piano meditation. I will also send out a link with past audio sermons from the Abbey church and will post to our website the last few from the morning. I will be keeping you up to date with resources and information at this time and please send me your prayer requests.

There are several folks in the congregation who have offered to drop off groceries or other supplies so please be in touch with me if you need any of these services.

On Sunday night the church was filled with the sound of hope. The artist Martyn Joseph reminded us that even in the midst of our fears we are held and that love will have the final word. Near the end of the show he sang the song Let yourself trust:

I need you brave, I want you brave, I need you strong to sing along

You are so beautiful,

And I’m not wrong

And you can bring it on world, throw everything, ‘cos in the end love wins big

And there are some of us

Who will not be lying down

But if you’re drifting away

If it’s falling apart

Let yourself,

be quietly drawn in by the stronger call of what you really love

Let your soul

The one that you brought with you safe to this moment in time

Whisper to your fears

And wrestle with the noise of this night, for you

My friends, these are such difficult times and yet this is exactly the time we have been called and formed to be the body of Christ within.

Our buildings may be closed but our love and care and compassion continue. The way we are the church enfleshed and embodied does not and will not change.

I encourage you to reach out to one another in appropriate ways and to pray fiercely for the congregation and for the world.

God is present with us, will never leave us or forsake us. Into our uncertainty and doubt, Jesus speaks a word of peace and carries us in love. So let yourself trust, let the God of love whisper to your fears

And wrestle with the noise of this time for you.

I am holding each and every one of you in love and prayer.

Do not hesitate to be in touch if there is any way I can support you right now.

The deep peace and abiding hope of Christ surround you,

The Reverend Meagan Crosby-Shearer

St Matthias Anglican Church

(250) 208-7296

incumbent@stmatthiasvictoria.ca

Posted on www.bc.anglican.ca on March 16, 2020 

Prayer Resources in the Time of COVID-19   Below please find a treasure of prayer resources that you may use during the COVID-19 outbreak. These selections are courtesy of Archdeacon Richard Leggett.  All come from the Evangelical Lutheran Worship:  Occasional Services for the Assembly (2009).   

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