Beloved in Christ,
In just a few short weeks, the coronavirus outbreak has brought about a staggering amount of suffering and dislocation in our city and around the world. Yet amid our collective fear and uncertainty, Psalm 91 rings out with the assurance of God’s protection and deliverance:
Continue reading “Psalm 91 Relief Fund”Dear Friends,
THANK YOU for all the ways you’ve supported Community Ministries these last two weeks! You have been an encouragement to our team as we quickly learn how to adjust our programming to meet the needs of those who have minimal resources due to the new coronavirus. Discerning the best way to show love and care to the homeless in the midst of the pandemic has been challenging, but we have made significant progress. Collaboration with like-minded organizations, combined with the gifts and talents of our community, has given us great vision for how to move forward.
But we’re going to take it one step at a time. We are still unsure about both our capacity for care, and about what is most helpful to the homeless community (physically, emotionally, spiritually) during this time.
Nonetheless, we are happy to add shower services to our programming starting next week! Every Tuesday and Thursday, guests can now receive showers, medical/psychiatric care, social services, and mail from 8am-2pm.
Beloved in Christ,
As you might expect, we’re at the point on “the curve” when we’ve begun to hear that some of our parishioners have been infected with COVID-19. In the last twenty-four hours, I have been notified of four people specifically. Of course, there may be more.
Dear Friends,
Please join us for live streamed worship this Sunday at 10 AM. We will worship according to a liturgy based on the Kenyan Rite, which is the normal order of worship for our 5:00 PM service (with a few adaptations for Lent). We will begin live streaming from the church at 9:45 AM.
We invite you to stream the service through our Facebook LIVE page. We are encouraging participation through Facebook if possible, as Facebook offers the ability for live interaction (both with us, and with each other) during the service. If you are not able to access Facebook, we will also be streaming the service live on YouTube.
Both platforms for livestream worship, as well as the bulletin, can be accessed from our homepage on www.allangelschurch.com.
Continue reading “Information on Digital Worship for March 29, 2020”I’m having every emotion. I neither want to be affirmed that every emotion is normal nor am I going to lay some empty empathy on you that no matter what you are feeling it is…O.K. We are way outside the bell curve, people. If your child has had a birthday in the last six months, they’ve (hopefully) received a birthday note from me riffing on the Jeremiah 29:11 verse about the Lord knowing the plans he has for us, good plans to prosper us, and so on. In a million years, none of us considered this plan.
Continue reading “Real Talk with Mary Ellen: At Home in Strange Times”Dear Friends,
It’s been a tough few weeks. But, by all accounts, things are just going to get tougher. Already, we are at a place where the pastoral care needs for our parish are stretching our staff capacity, especially in the midst of new ministries and new learning. This will increase exponentially over the coming weeks and months.
Continue reading “URGENT – Please Connect With a House Church”
Dear Friends,
Click here for All Angels Facebook LIVE page
Click here for 10 AM Eucharist worship booklet
In a time of social distancing, we are providing the following ways to worship with us digitally this coming Sunday, March 22nd:
Continue reading “Information on Digital Worship for Sunday, March 22nd”
Dear All Angels’ Family,
Over the last week, I have been grateful for the way our world has collectively made wise decisions to keep us safe and healthy during these times. I have also been deeply burdened by the effects of these decisions on the homeless community. And I have grieved that out of all the regulations and protocols our city has made to protect various populations, you would be hard pressed to hear our lawmakers make mention of the homeless.
Shelters and drop-in centers are already crowded, poorly maintained, and under resourced. With public spaces in which the homeless once found refuge for shelter, showers, and bathrooms–such as movie theaters, gyms, McDonalds, libraries, emergency rooms, shopping malls–all closing down, those in our community are pushing their way into those same crowded drop-in centers to get their basic needs met. At the same time, restaurants close and food donations slow down. Friendly passersby no longer walk the streets. Volunteers at nonprofits tag out. Programs close. Resources become limited. Our community wanders from street to street looking for any place that may be open where they can get their needs met.
For more, read here: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/poverty/news/2020/03/18/481958/lawmakers-must-include-homeless-individuals-families-coronavirus-responses/
And here:
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/coronavirus-homeless-risk-ways-stop-spread-wildfire/story?id=69505076
I say “our community” because many of the people that are experiencing the pandemic in this unique way truly are a part of our All Angel’s community. You know some of them by name. You have had heartfelt conversations with them. You’ve shared worship with them. You’ve loved them and supported them and provided for them.
As of this writing, All Angels’ has remained committed to providing direct services to our homeless friends throughout the pandemic. The Pathways drop-in program (Tuesday/Thursday), Respite Shelter (Sunday), and Meals programs (Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday) have remained in operation, with daily modifications as needed. We have taken a proactive and assertive approach to ensure the safety and well-being of participants, staff, and volunteers.
Each day, we have been faced with difficult decisions regarding which services are absolutely essential at this time, and which services we could realistically offer to our guests. Through our robust shelter, drop-in, and meals programs, guests have always exclaimed that “All Angels’ does so much!” to meet the needs of the homeless community. This week, with limited staff and volunteer capacity, city regulations, and safe and healthy hygiene and “social distancing” practices, we have done all we can to offer services in a safe yet hospitable manner. Some things worked well. Others were more challenging to pull off. In either case, we saw ear-to-ear smiles of gratitude from guests whose teeth we rarely see.
We are so appreciative of the incredible commitment our volunteers have offered this week. Emails, texts, and prayers from the larger All Angels’ family have been greatly encouraging (even if yet unanswered!). We will continue to send e-blasts and post on our blog and social media outlets to share updates specific to Community Ministries as they arise. We don’t know what our ministry to the homeless will look like next week, or even tomorrow. But we are fearlessly committed to being present with our homeless brothers and sisters during this time.
Thank you for being present with us.
Peace be with you.
Chelsea Horvath, Director of Community Ministries
Dear Friends,
It was a truly blessed day at All Angels Church, as almost a hundred and fifty gathered together through three worship services, and dozens more checked in online. I can report that in the church itself we successfully practiced the sanitation protocols for COVID-19 that we established last week, and maintained good social distancing throughout the day. More importantly, God was present. The Spirit moved. And life was offered to many. It was truly good for the people of God to be in the house of the Lord.
allangelschurchblog.wordpress.com 