Dear St. Peter’s Community,

Imagine a virus comes to our town and decides to throw a great party. Invitations are sent out, great excitement is generated, and nobody shows up…
 
That is what we at St. Peter’s, congregations throughout our Diocese, and the wider community of our state, nation, and world are doing. We are intentionally practicing proactive social isolation to stall the coronavirus threat. I view the practice of social isolation as a very active form of caring for our neighbors and ourselves.

In consultation with the Diocese and public health officials, we are closing our church campus, excluding Grace Chapel which will be open for personal reflection from 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily, and suspending in-person church services until Friday, April 3rd.

While our buildings are closed our hearts remain open and we will continue to provide a variety of ways for you to worship and stay connected in community with God and one another. Here are some of the things we are implementing:
 

Worship

In last Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus called us to worship God in Spirit and Truth, that was beyond any holy mountain or physical location. Beginning this Sunday, March 22nd, we will be offering our Sunday worship online:

• Our weekly worship service will be available to view, beginning at 8:00 a.m. each Sunday, on the parish website, www.stpetersepiscopal.org, or via our Facebook page: facebook.com/specstl.
   
• A service bulletin, which will include the texts and hymns will be available from our website. The service will be available to you at any time during the week.
   
• Children’s Chapel was closed for Spring Break this Sunday, but the following week, March 29th, we will have an online version of Children’s chapel.

Our Ministries

• St. Peter’s clergy, staff, and ministries will continue to be here for you. Staff will mostly be working remotely from home and will be available by phone and email. To reach us by phone, please call (314) 993-2306 and follow the prompts to reach the voicemail of the individual with whom you would like to speak.
   
• Contact a St. Peter’s Cares Shepherd if you are in need of prayers, meals or transportation: (314) 993-2306, ext. 125 or .
   
• Please visit our website www.stpetersepiscopal.org for the latest updates and services we will be providing.
   
• We also will be sending our “News from the Rock” e-newsletter every Friday.If you have not subscribed, please do so at www.stpetersepiscopal.org (scroll to the bottom of the page for the subscription form).
   
• From our website, please check the Realm link and ensure that your contact information is up to date. Email Jacquelyn at if you need assistance with Realm.
   
• We will continue to host regularly scheduled AA groups of no more than ten people.
   
• To support Outreach, for Trinity’s Maundy Thursday Foot Clinic, please drop off men’s sturdy walking shoes outside Grace Chapel any time between 6:30 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. through April 5th. As the community’s situation evolves, we will be discerning and offering other ways to help those most in need, so please keep checking the website.

Christian Formation Classes

• The Wednesday Yes³! Program is suspended. I am working on an online version.
   
• The Forgiveness Adult Forums will be streamed and available online next week. Check www.stpetersepiscopal.org/forgive to access this program.
   
• Children’s programming is being developed. Check our website and email updates to access these resources.Ann's weekly email to Sunday School Families will continue as usual.
   
• Confirmation class will continue to meet using Zoom at their regularly scheduled class time. Please pay attention to emails from Andrea and Father Joseph.
   
• Young adults BYOB will continue at its regular time via Zoom, so please be attentive to Father Joseph's emails.
   
• EYC will still gather virtually the third Sunday of the month in the afternoon via Zoom to talk about the Chronicles of Narnia. Stay tuned for a Zoom meeting passcode.

As always, please pray for one another and for our world – especially for those who find themselves cut off, isolated, and alone; for those most at risk to infection, and for all those (including your staff and vestry!) who are seeking appropriate, loving, and prudent ways of responding to this pandemic.

And please remember:

• While we may suspend scheduled, in-person, worship services for a time we will not suspend worship.
   
• While we may suspend face-to-face meetings, we will not suspend caring and staying connected.
   
• While we may suspend our normal ways of doing things, we will never, never, suspend loving one another and being the people of God.

In darkness and in light, in trouble and in joy, help us O God, to trust your love and serve your purpose. We hold in the Light of God’s healing those who are ill…
We hold in the Light of God’s love their families and care-givers…
We hold in the Light of God’s wisdom our medical community and public health officials…
We hold in the Light of God’s presence our neighbors… and ourselves…
Help us all know that in every storm and tumult there is an inner calm that comes from faith in you, and that from this central heart of peace your compassion flows to make us wise and loving expressions of your presence in the world. Amen.

In peace,
Rob+