Author: Father Stephen

The Fifth Sunday of Lent

The Second Sunday of the Coronavirus Lockdown

Psalm 130

1 Out of the depths have I called to you, O Lord;
Lord, hear my voice; *
let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.

2 If you, Lord, were to note what is done amiss, *
O Lord, who could stand?

3 For there is forgiveness with you; *
therefore you shall be feared.

4 I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him; *
in his word is my hope.

5 My soul waits for the Lord,
more than watchmen for the morning, *
more than watchmen for the morning.

6 O Israel, wait for the Lord, *
for with the Lord there is mercy;

7 With him there is plenteous redemption, *
and he shall redeem Israel from all their sins.

John 11:1-45

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 

Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.” After saying this, he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.” Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.” 

When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” 

Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.

Below is an update from the Diocese of Montana shared today via email.

Bishop Marty has ordered all Episcopal churches in Montana to cease regular worship in person until May 10^th at this point.  This is to comply with both our various county public health authorities and the national call for no group gatherings of ten or greater in number.  If the pandemic abates beforehand, the restart date may be moved to sooner.  Many of our churches are either broadcasting, livestreaming or otherwise recording services so that people can worship remotely.   The clergy had a Zoom meeting with Bishop Marty this last Friday, and several strategies are being developed to help congregations maintain their spiritual health.

Funerals will be family-only to keep the attendance below ten people at this point in time.  Clergy have already been advised of this.  It is hoped that larger memorial services will be offered after the pandemic is over.

Montana is beginning its epidemic curve, please help our medical profession out by assuming you could be infected and follow social distancing recommendations to reduce other people’s exposure.  To model this, all meetings with diocesan personnel will be done by phone, GoTo Meeting, Zoom or social media.  All clergy are also requested to follow this example, except for pastoral emergencies outside of hospital settings.  Most hospitals are ceasing in-person visitations, including clergy.  Please remember to notify your clergy if you go to the hospital: they may not be able to visit in person, but can keep in contact and pray for you.

Because of all the closures of businesses, there are many people who are in financial straits.  Clergy expenditures to help people in need is rising rapidly.  Please give generously to the clergy discretionary accounts and other non-profits so that people can continue to eat, have a roof over their heads, and have heat.  And please do not forget to continue your church pledges and contributions.

For those whose visitations have been cancelled, Bishop Marty will start looking at new dates, based on projections on when the pandemic will be behind us.  Lambeth has been postposed until 2021, so the later summer Sundays will be opening up.

Here is the current CDC information for the faith community:  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/index.html

Below are some at-home and small gathering worship and study resources. Please share with the diocesan office other resources you have found helpful:

• Daily Office by Mission St. Clare      https://www.missionstclare.com/english/
• Celtic Daily Prayer (from our Anam Cara community)  https://www.northumbriacommunity.org/offices/how-to-use-daily-office/
•  Daily Lectionary Readings including Saints   https://episcopalchurch.org/lectionary-calendar
• Formation using the Way of Love   https://experiencingjesuswithbishopmariann.simplecast.fm
• A list of other Episcopal stuff   https://episcopalchurch.org/WoL/worship/all
• National Cathedral worship  https://cathedral.org/worship/service-archive/
• Lent Madness!  (during the week)  https://www.lentmadness.org

Morning Prayer: Rite II

Sunday, March 21, 2020 at 10 am (Mountain Time)

The Fourth Sunday of Lent – First Sunday of the Quarantine 

Opening Sentence                               BCP 76

Confession of Sin and Absolution       BCP 79

Invitatory and Psalter                           BCP 80

Venite                                                  BCP 82

Psalm 23                                              BCP 612

Epistle – Ephesians 5:8-14 

Canticle 13 – A Song of Praise             BCP 90

Gospel – John 9:1 – 41 

Homily

The Apostles Creed                             BCP 96

The Prayers                                         BCP 97

Suffrages A                                          BCP 97

Collect of the Day                               BCP 219

Collect(s)                                             BCP 99

Prayer for Mission                               BCP 100

Invitation for Prayers                           BCP 101

General Thanksgiving                          BCP 101

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom                 BCP 102

Closing                                                BCP 102

Check our Facebook for the live feed!

Evening Prayer: Rite I

Saturday, March 21, 2020 at 5 pm (Mountain Time)

Observing the Fourth Sunday of Lent – First Sunday of the Quarantine

Opening Sentence(s)                            BCP 61

Confession of Sin and Absolution       BCP 62

Invitatory and Psalter                           BCP 63

Psalm 23                                              BCP 612

Gospel – John 9:1 – 41 

Homily

The Apostles Creed                             BCP 66

The Prayers                                         BCP 67

Suffrages B                                          BCP 68

Collect of the Day                               BCP 167

Collect(s)                                             BCP 69

Prayer for Mission                               BCP 70

Invitation for Prayers                           BCP 71

General Thanksgiving                          BCP 71

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom                 BCP 72

Closing                                                BCP 73

The Fourth Sunday in Lent – First Sunday of Coronavirus Shutdown

Readings: 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Psalm 23, Ephesians 5:8-14, John 9:1-41

Collect: Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Response

Psalm 23

Dominus regit me

1 The Lord is my shepherd; *
I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures *
and leads me beside still waters.

3 He revives my soul *
and guides me along right pathways for his Name’s sake.

4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil; *
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; *
you have anointed my head with oil,
and my cup is running over.

6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, *
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

The Gospel

John 9:1-41

As Jesus walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.” They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet.” 

The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” 

So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out.

Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him. Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not blind, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.” 

March 17, 2020

Members of the Saint Stephen’s Community,

This is not how I expected to be writing my first parish letter to all of you.  First, allow me to thank all of you for the great day that we had on this past Sunday.  The installation service and reception were amazing.  Thank you to everyone who helped out! It was a wonderful celebration in the midst of chaotic times.

Now for the main reason for this letter… the virus situation.  As the presiding bishop said in his email published last week, which some wise preacher referenced on Sunday, “The next 30-60 days at the least are simply going to be unlike anything we have experienced in recent history, even including 9/11. The dilemma of what we know and what we don’t know will continue to complicate our decision making and our lives.” 

There have many changes in the past few days. 

On Saturday, March 14, our bishop said that those who are at higher risk to the virus should abstain from church until Easter.  Those defined as being at higher risk includes older adults and people with serious chronic medical conditions (such as heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease).  This age group incorporates A LOT of our church’s membership. 

On Sunday, March 15, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said that people should not gather in groups of larger than 50 people to avoid spreading the virus.  

On Monday, March 16, The President’s Coronavirus Task Force issued its “15 Days to Slow the Spread” plan which includes the following recommendation, “avoid social gatherings in groups of more than 10 people.”  That document also states that “in states with evidence of community transmission, bars restaurants, food courts, gyms and other indoor and outdoor venues where groups of people congregate should be closed.” That last sentence is the most telling.  Now, Montana doesn’t yet have documented cases of community transmission, that I know of, but it is only a matter of time. 

Given all of this, I feel that it is necessary to close our church through the end of March, at the least.  This would mean at least two weekends without a celebration of the Eucharist.  I think that this gives us some breathing room to find out where we are as a society with the virus and it also is in line with the most recent recommendations from the federal government.  I do not take this action lightly but feel that it is the wisest decision for our people.  I have discussed this with our wonderful wardens and the vestry.  

So, what happens now? 

First, worship can and will continue.  I will work as I normally do to prepare for worship weekly and I plan to offer a live stream via our  Facebook page (facebook.com/ststephensbillings/) and on our website (ststephensbillings.org) for Evening Prayer (Rite I, of course) on Saturday evenings and Morning Prayer (Rite II) on Sunday mornings.

Second, our office will be closed during this time to allow our staff to stay safe.  I will be in from time to time and will be checking the mail.  The vestry decided that it was appropriate to continue to pay our staff during this crisis for the time being.  This allows them to focus on their health and safety instead of worrying about making ends meet.  Given this, as much as is possible, I would ask that you continue to make contributions to the church as you normally would, but instead of placing them in the offering plate, you can mail them directly to the church.  

I will still be available to all of our people in one form or another.  Please note my phone number and email address at the bottom of the letter and feel free to get in touch if you need anything.  This crisis will pass. We shall endure. Please know that you are not alone.  I ask your prayers for the vulnerable among us and for those who help to keep us all well and our needs met.  Please check out our webpage and in particular my page, “News from ‘the Father’” for the latest updates and more resources.  

Allow me to close with a prayer that seems appropriate:

O Lord, we are at the limits of our power to help. For what we have left undone, forgive us.  For what you have helped us to do, we thank you.  For what must be done by others, lend your strength.  Now shelter us in your peace which passes our understanding. Amen.

Stay safe and healthy, and keep the faith,

Father Stephen

Some resources suggested by Bishop Marty:

Daily Office by Mission St. Clare      https://www.missionstclare.com/english/

Daily Lectionary Readings including Saints   https://episcopalchurch.org/lectionary-calendar

Formation using the Way of Love   https://experiencingjesuswithbishopmariann.simplecast.fm

A list of other Episcopal stuff   https://episcopalchurch.org/WoL/worship/all

Lent Madness!  (during the week)  https://www.lentmadness.org

Lent 3 – The Third Sunday in Lent

Readings: Exodus 17:1-7 and John 4:5-42

Shared on March 14 and 15, 2020