The CoronaVirus has hit home and many of us are now feeling the effects of closures, rescheduling, delays, postponements, and cancellations. Our new vocabulary word this week is “Social Distancing”, there has been a crazy run on Toilet Paper, store shelves are seen bare, and we now know how long we should be washing our hands… 20 seconds!
With Governor Scott ordering the closures of Vermont Schools, Bishop Christopher Coyne suspending Mass obligations for the near future and many many other churches moving their Sunday services online, we are all left to wonder what will be next.
The Vermont Ecumenical Council: Network of Christian Cooperation has an extensive and comprehensive online calendar of Christian events happening in our state, but we are unable to keep track of all the pending cancellations. So, we ask that you follow up with any event coordinator if you have questions.
And we leave you with a Prayer
Prayer for a Pandemic
May we who are merely inconvenienced
Remember those whose lives are at stake.
May we who have no risk factors
Remember those most vulnerable.
May we who have the luxury of working from home
Remember those who must choose between preserving their health or making their rent.
May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close
Remember those who have no options.
May we who have to cancel our trips
Remember those who have no safe place to go.
May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market
Remember those who have no margin at all.
May we who settle in for a quarantine at home
Remember those who have no home.
As fear grips our country,
Let us choose love.
During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other,
Let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors.
Amen.