Dear friends in Christ,
We are writing to update you on a number of things that affect our common life at St. John’s. We also want to stay in contact with those of you who are unable to join in worship or otherwise stay connected online. We imagine that for many of you, this is a time of confusion, fear, and uncertainty. To be sure, the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis have been far-reaching, and most aspects of our lives have been upended. As a part of our attempts at social distancing, all in-person activities at the church have been cancelled or postponed until further notice. In addition, the office is closed, although the staff and other leadership are making sure to check mail, email, and voicemail. We are making sure the building is protected and safe, that bills are being paid, and that we are covering our other commitments. In addition, our clergy remain in contact with the Diocesan leadership so that we are up-to-date on Diocesan plans and directives.
At this time, we do not know when churches will be opened or when in-person activities will resume. However, it is unlikely that life will return to normal immediately. At this point, we intend to follow the local Health Department directives and will not be holding large gatherings until at least the end of June. Depending on directions from Bishop Jennifer or Governor Holcomb, we may be able to schedule smaller gatherings for worship, formation, or fellowship. As this becomes possible, we will be sure to communicate those plans.
In the meantime, we want to offer you some information about ways we continue our ministry, ways you can connect or support St. John’s, and ways you can reach out for support or to offer help.
What we’re doing
Worshiping online – we continue to offer worship online. Our Sunday services are offered live via Zoom. If you have not been able to join in Sunday worship, you can find links and information on the St. John’s website – www.stjohns-laf.org. You can also find links to our new Facebook page “the Chapel of the Resurrection-Online”. There you can find live weekday services on Tuesdays and Thursdays, recorded music from our Director of Music, Michael Bennett, recordings of Sunday sermons, and more. You do not need a Facebook account to view these offerings.
Pastoral Calls – A dedicated group of parishioners is making regular phone calls to everyone on our parish list. If you have not received a call, please contact Bradley at 312.208.8791.
Making plans for our ministry – The Vestry and staff continue to make strategic plans for the near term and for our ministry further down the road.
Bradley is postponing his sabbatical until the summer of 2021. On the one hand, traveling across the country to attend baseball games isn’t really a possibility right now. But more than that, postponing his sabbatical will allow him to be attentive to the needs of the community in this difficult and uncertain time.
Gretchen has moved from half-time to quarter-time, and will continue her ministry with us at least through November. At that time, her family will be moving to Germany until mid-2021. The Vestry is in conversation about bringing her back on staff when she and her family return.
Bradley continues having conversations with the Diocesan staff about hiring a curate or newly ordained priest. The Diocese has offered to pay half of the compensation for a full-time curate for the next two years.
We will continue to pay all staff for the foreseeable future.
Developing a financial plan – The Finance Committee, Investment Committee, and Vestry continue to be in conversation and will be developing a plan to make sure the church’s finances are in good order during this time of economic uncertainty.
Our application for the Payroll Protection Program was unsuccessful in the first round of funding. However, we believe we may be successful when Congress approves additional funding.
We have applied for a “Connect through Technology” Grant from the Center for Congregations. This grant would give us more than $4,000 toward computers and other equipment that would allow us to offer better online worship and formation.
We recently met with our investment managers at First Merchants and are assured that our endowment and other investments are in good hands.
Helping in the community – We continue to look for ways to support those who are vulnerable in our community.
The vestry allocated $3000 to both Food Finders and Lafayette Transitional Housing.
We will be looking to make funds available to other community organizations over the next few weeks and months.
As the implications of this crisis continue to be revealed, we imagine that more and more will be needed. If you know of additional ways that St. John’s can help in the community, please contact the church office or the clergy directly.
How to connect
Stay home when you can, stay safe when you can’t, and pray for all those working on the front lines of the pandemic
Pray for the people of St. John’s – This letter includes the parish list separated by date. Use this list to remember each member of the parish in your prayers each day. In addition, if you would like a hard copy of the parish prayer list mailed to you, please contact the church office.
Check in with members of the parish community by phone or email. Better yet, write a card or a letter to let people know you are thinking of them and praying for them. If you need addresses, phone numbers, or emails, please contact the church office. We are happy to share information that has already been publicized in the parish directory.
Stay connected to St. John’s online
You can get regular updates here—including recent sermons or musical recordings.
Each week, updates and information go out via St. John’s email newsletter. You can sign up at www.stjohns-laf.org/contact-us. Information about weekly worship is included in each email along with other updates. If you have any questions about or problems signing up, contact Bradley by email at bradleypace@stjohns-laf.org or by phone at 312.208.8791.
You can follow St. John’s on Facebook at www.facebook.com/stjohnslaf and join in weekday worship at www.facebook.com/stjohnslafchapel.
Contribute to St. John’s if you can: Contributions to the church are obviously down, since we are not meeting in person. However, you can contribute to our ministry in a number of different ways. In particular, annual pledges are critically important to support not only church operations but also our staff who continue working remotely. You can contribute in any one of the following ways:
Give through the Diocesan office. The bishop’s office will process online gifts on behalf of congregations with no processing fees. Go to https://onrealm.org/indydio/-/give/covid19.
Mail contributions directly to St. John's, 600 Ferry Street, Lafayette, IN 47901.
Direct your bank to submit checks automatically. Contact your bank directly for details.
Contribute using PayPal via the St. John's website (processing fees will apply). Go to www.stjohns-laf.org and click on Donate with PayPal.
At the same time, we understand that the economic uncertainty will likely have a lasting impact. If your financial situation changes, please make choices to support yourself and your family. We do ask that, if you do need to change your pledge, please let the church office know so we can plan accordingly. In addition, If you have other questions or concerns, contact the church office by email at stjohns@stjohns-laf.org or by phone at 765.742.4079.
How to reach out for help or reach out to help
Reach out for help or reach out to help — If you find that you need help or would like to find a way to help others in our parish community, you can go to www.stjohns-laf.org/help to reach out. You can also contact Bradley by email at bradleypace@stjohns-laf.org or by phone at 312.208.8791.
You are also encouraged to make donations to area organizations that serve the vulnerable in our community. Consider making a donation to organizations such as Food Finders Food Bank, Lafayette Transitional Housing, Lafayette Urban Ministry, or the YWCA Domestic Violence Shelter.
If you have an idea of how St. John’s can meet an important need in the community, please contact a member of the clergy, staff, or Vestry leadership.
In one of her recent video messages to the Diocese, Bishop Jennifer reminded us that the Church has never been a building. Instead, the Church is the Body of Christ—that is, the people who are called to share God’s love in the world, to be the hands and heart of Christ. We know that many of you miss gathering in our sacred space for worship or formation or service (we certainly do). But the smiles we see each Sunday on Zoom remind us that what we truly miss is gathering as a people, gathering as a community, knowing God in our common prayer and purpose. It is hard to be separated, but we will be together again. And when we are able to gather, it will be a joyful homecoming. We look forward to seeing you and celebrating with you.
Thank you for all the ways you continue to live out your faith and the mission of St. John’s even while we are apart. We encourage you to continue to pray, continue to trust in God, and continue to celebrate the resurrection. Continue to be the Body of Christ. Please know that you are in our prayers. We remain,
Faithfully yours,
The Rev. Dr. Bradley Pace, Rector
Mr. Greg McClure, Senior Warden
Mr. Charlie Shook, Junior Warden