Dear St John family and friends,

Some of you may be wondering when we might be returning to in-person worship or other church activities in light of the state and municipal loosening of COVID-19 restrictions. This past Friday, we received a directive from our bishop to refrain from in-person worship, ministries, and all other building usage through May 30. You can read her letter here.

Even when May 30 comes and goes, I highly suspect our health authorities will caution against putting 150-250 people in a room together. In addition, many of our parishioners are considered to be high risk because of age or pre-existing conditions. With that in mind, the St John staff is continuing to seek ways to be creative in delivering worship to you via live-stream (or DVDs for those who do not have internet access).

We are continuing to pay our staff and, as you can imagine, in some instances we are putting in even more hours as we navigate the learning curve of multiple software platforms to deliver worship and small groups and even New Horizons Preschool to you at home. It has been an exhilarating and exhausting few weeks, but it is clear that God is at work doing a new and GOOD thing even despite the hardships of so many during this time.

I ask that you join me in continuing to lift in prayer those who have become sick or who have died from COVID, and their loved ones. Let us pray for the frontline medical workers and grocery workers who continue to serve us, even as they put their own health at risk by doing so. Let us pray for all who are economically impacted by the COVID closures, not knowing where the next rent payment or meal might be coming from. Let us pray for the science community actively working to bring rapid testing and potentially a vaccine to bear. Let us pray for our leaders at the municipal, state, national, and global levels as they seek to wisely guide us through this time. And let us give thanks for the leadership we have in Alaska, who are modeling what it means to put partisan politics aside and work together for the common good of us all.

Friends, we will gather together again one day, but it will likely be awhile. Until then, may God lift you up on Eagle’s Wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of God’s hand.

Grace, Peace, Protection, Healing, and Love

Pastor Andy