Rev. Galen Guengerich leading a worship service on Zoom in May 2020.
All the church's activities moved online, starting on March 12, 2020. The following email was sent out to the community on March 11:
Dear Family of All Souls,
As you know, your ministry and staff team, along with your Board of Trustees, are paying close attention to the current challenges posed by COVID-19. Our primary concern is that we keep our members, friends, and our larger New York community as safe as possible. To that end, after much reflection and consultation, we have together decided to take the following precautionary steps to mitigate the spread of the virus.
We have decided to suspend all in-person programming and worship at All Souls, effective immediately. There will be no church-related meetings, events, or services of any kind at All Souls until at least April 5. We will make a decision later this month about whether or not to resume programming at that time.
We will offer an online gathering time of music, reflection, and prayer led by Galen or Audette each Sunday morning at 10 AM and 11:15 AM, along with a time for families led by Tracy at 10:30 AM. These will be conducted by Zoom, an online meeting platform that you can join either by video on your computer or smartphone, or by audio from your cell phone or landline. Zoom is easy to use, and we’ll provide all the information you need to join in our Friday emails.
We want to you to have ways to be spiritually nurtured and feel connected, even at this time when we protect ourselves and each other by “social distancing.” Therefore, we will have a special time of online connection and spiritual care each weekday, Monday through Friday. Again, be sure to check the Friday email for more information and links. Here is our initial schedule for these events, which we will adjust or supplement as needed.
Mondays: Meditation with Pamela, 2 PM
Tuesdays: Poetry & Reflection with Galen, 5 PM
Bedtime Story with Tracy, 7 PM
Wednesdays: Shared Reading & Conversation with Audette, 1 PM
Thursdays: Meditation with Pamela, 2 PM
Bedtime Story with Tracy, 7 PM
Fridays: Reading and Reflection, including prayer requests, with Audette, 1 PM
In these confusing times, please know that we will do all we can to keep you safe and informed. Though we will not be together physically, we will be united in spirit and in commitment to each other. We will do our best to maintain a caring and careful pastoral outreach. As always, your ministers are here for you, and we are available if you need to talk with us. Please send an email to set up a time to talk:
galen@allsoulsnyc.org
audette@allsoulsnyc.org
tracy@allsoulsnyc.org
pamela@allsoulsnyc.org
We encourage you to take special care of yourselves and others by taking steps to avoid unnecessary outings and practicing good hygiene, and also by increasing your outreach by phone or video chat with friends and loved ones. The bonds that connect us are vital, and we hope you will tend them with love in all the ways you are able.
Take courage, friends. The way is often hard, the path Is never clear, And the stakes are very high. Take courage. For deep down, there is another
Truth: You are not alone. (Wayne Arnason)
In the spirit of All Souls, Your ministers, staff, and Board of Trustees
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