This Sunday, July 5th, Church of the Messiah will hold its first worship service that will be open to the public since the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic in March. After an unfortunate delay last week, we are so blessed and excited to be able to gather in the sanctuary of Ft. Caroline Presbyterian Church, the church from whom we lease our current building. Throughout the month of July, Ft. Caroline Presbyterian will be graciously allowing us to worship in their sanctuary which can seat up to 300 people so that our congregation may gather together once again and still maintain appropriate social distancing. We are so excited to be able to worship together (in person) once again after worshiping together on-line for four months.
It should be obvious that everything will not be exactly like it was in January of this year. COVID-19 is very real in Duval County and Mayor Lenny Curry has recently enacted an executive order requiring the wearing of masks or face coverings in public places where social distancing is not possible. In light of these circumstances, please take a few moments and read the following.
You will be required to wear a mask or maintain social distance. We will be submitted to the regulations of our city as St. Paul commends us. (Romans 13:1) This means that, for those who are over six years old, if you are within six feet of someone who does not live within your household, you will need to be wearing a mask. We will have masks available for those who do not own their own. When people are in their seats, and seated six feet away from those outside of their households, masks need not be worn. When people are receiving Holy Communion, masks need not be worn. Please note that some people may have medical conditions which prevent them from wearing masks. That is permissible according to the executive order.
Honor and respect other people’s choices. Part of “walking in love” in acknowledging that people will make choices that differ from our own and respecting those choices. If someone does not want a hug or a handshake like they did months ago, we all need to respect that. Likewise, there may be some people who, for medical reasons, are not wearing masks. If you are uncomfortable being near those people, there will be plenty of seats far enough away for you to be safe. No one needs to be notified and you need not inquire about their medical condition.
Conversations are best held outside in the open air. The mayor’s executive order does not require the wearing of masks outside. If you would like to have conversations with friends who you have not seen in months, we encourage you to do so in the open air where you need not wear a mask and where the breeze helps disperse all those wicked little germs.
We will continue to live stream our service on our Facebook page for those who are not present with us in the sanctuary. We ask the those whom the Centers for Disease Control considers especially vulnerable or at higher risk for infection (older adults, those with lung, heart, or liver disease, or those with autoimmune issues) to prayerfully consider staying home. At the same time, we must insist that those who feel sick, or those who have been in contact with anyone has been sick or who might possibly have COVID-19 stay home. Church of the Messiah has been blessed with a phenomenal record thus far of zero infections and we do not want that record to ever come to an end. We will be working with Fr. Looker, the Rector’s Council, and various ministry leaders throughout the week in order to ensure that we are able to worship The Lord in the most glorious way possible while also being as safe as possible.
There will be a few other minor changes that go along with worshiping in a new space and with all of the COVID-19 requirements, but we are confident that our clergy, ushers, and volunteers will make everyone feel right at home!
Ultimately, we are so blessed that we will be able to worship together this Sunday, July 5th, starting at 10 o’clock, in the sanctuary of Ft. Caroline Presbyterian Church. We are so excited to see everyone again in person!
Due to circumstances beyond our control, the re-opening of public worship intended for this weekend will be postponed until next Sunday, July 5th. We apologize for the late notice, the inconvenience, and the disappointment that accompanies this news. We know how excited everyone was to gather again together and worship The Lord. We look forward to doing so next Sunday. Our service this Sunday, June 28th, will be streamed on Facebook Live as it has been in the past. Please share this message on your personal social media pages in order to get the message out to as many people as possible.
Starting Sunday, July 5th, Church of the Messiah will hold its first worship service that will be open to the public since the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic in March. Ft. Caroline Presbyterian Church, the church from whom we lease our building, is graciously allowing us to worship in their sanctuary throughout the month of July. Their sanctuary can seat up to 300 people, so our congregation may gather together once again and still maintain appropriate social distancing as is prudent for the day and age. We are so excited to be able to worship together (in person) once again after worshiping together on-line for four months.
We are not pretending, however, that the Corona Virus is gone. We ask the those whom the Centers for Disease Control considers especially vulnerable or at higher risk for infection (older adults, those with lung, heart, or liver disease, or those with autoimmune issues) to prayerfully consider staying home. At the same time, we must insist that those who feel sick, or those who have been in contact with anyone has been sick or who might possibly have COVID-19 stay home. Church of the Messiah has been blessed with a phenomenal record thus far of zero infections and we do not want that record to ever come to an end. For the sake of those who are either unable to attend or uncomfortable attending public services at this point in time, we will continue streaming our Sunday morning services live on Facebook.
We will be working with Fr. Looker, the Rector’s Council, and various ministry leaders throughout the week in order to ensure that we are able to worship The Lord in the most glorious way possible while also being as safe as possible. There are a great many moving parts that are still being adjusted and will likely continue to be adjusted very late into the week. For the latest updates, please check our social media on Facebook or Instagram and this web-page. Also, Wednesday night at 7 o’clock, Fr. Looker will dedicate his entire Fireside Chat to providing the most up to date information about the upcoming service so please watch that podcast on our Facebook or YouTube channel.
Ultimately, we are so blessed that we will be able to worship together this Sunday, June 28th, starting at 10 o’clock, in the sanctuary of Ft. Caroline Presbyterian Church. Please keep an eye out for more information this week as it becomes available.
Here in the United States, the president said that the country would be reopening by Easter. He was certainly optimistic. But, after seeking the advice of medical professionals and epidemiologists, as well as other counsel, he changed his date, and here we are in May still debating when will be a good date to start reopening the country and lessening restrictions. Ultimately, I guess, the real end of this pandemic will be when we have a vaccine. Given that, there is a lot of debate about when we will have a vaccine.
I have been home and in my “bedroom office” since March 17. This “isolation” has been called a quarantine, a lockdown, and staying safe. In some places in the United States, the governments are enforcing, not only stay home orders but wearing masks and social distancing, with large fines if the rules are not followed. There are already battles in the courts about whether the government has the authority to enforce these “regulations.”
I prefer to call my “isolation” a “seclusion.”
Certainly the fact that there is a coronavirus and a pandemic has influenced my decision to stay home. I am sure I would not have chosen it by myself, especially since I am presently confined with three children – a two-year-old, a four-year-old, and a thirteen-year-old (a quarantween).
So early on I decided that I would offer this time to the Lord and work to build into my schedule more time for prayer, study, meditation, inward digestion of God’s word. It would become a time to remove the things of the world and seek the Lord Jesus, knowing in this pandemic, and always, He was seeking me.
I have been drawn to the resources of the internet, especially on social media. I have been able to pray with people, attend virtual Eucharists, and listen in on the preaching of so many men of God. I have been so encouraged and edified by these words. I have even gone out in social media world and I am live streaming a personal reflection on Scripture at 1 p.m. daily.
Early on I was struck by the hoarding of toilet paper by many Americans. I am still not sure what that was all about. But it struck me as extremely funny and people began sharing memes about the “Toilet Paper Crisis.” There is even a Facebook group based on the “Crisis.” I saw advertised tee shirts that said, “I survived the 2020 Toilet Paper Crisis.” I was tempted to purchase that tee-shirt but decided not to because the real crisis is the death of thousands of people from this disease, and there is nothing funny about it.
However, I am sure there will be tee shirts, coffee mugs, bumper stickers, and other items put up for sale, after the pandemic passes. They will say, “I survived COVID 19,” or the “coronavirus,” or the “Pandemic.” This pandemic will be a defining moment for many people as other historic events like 9/11 are defining moments.
In prayer, it came to me that this time needs to be more than “survival.” If I made it a time set apart for the Lord, it could easily become a time of “revival.” I didn’t want to come out of this time merely having survived, so that when the “crisis” ends I or the church go back to normal, or the Church got back to normal (perhaps with the addition of new technology). I wanted it to be a time when I had turned away from all those things that have distracted me from picking up my cross and following Jesus.
I am seeking a new and renewed personal Pentecost. I am praying that our Churches encounter a renewed Pentecost with fire and wind and zeal for the Lord Jesus. Zeal that will force us out of “Upper Rooms” and into the streets. A Church proclaiming that Jesus is the Savior and that all who call upon Him will be saved.
Having gone out on social media with my own live stream and talking to others, we have discovered, by the number of views, that there is a hunger for the Gospel. One Bishop is hosting a morning prayer meeting and thousands from around the world are joining him in prayer. Small churches that have consistent attendance of 30 to 50 people are having hundreds join them via Facebook or YouTube. Sometimes people, like myself, are listening to several sermons a day or attending online bible studies or small groups. And, people who are not members of their Church are joining in on the study. It is a new day.
Looks like Pentecost Sunday will be different (like Easter). But let us pray that the Holy Spirit finds us as empty vessels ready to be filled again. Let us be found ready to be used by the Lord Jesus, and to be empowered with the spiritual gifts for the building up of the Body of Christ, and for the evangelization of the world. Let Pentecost be the beginning of a new day.
This Sunday, April 5th, marks the beginning of the holiest week of the Christian calendar, however, this year, COVID-19 has changed the way that Christians will be observing Holy Week throughout the world. On Wednesday, April 1st, both the Mayor of Jacksonville and the Governor of Florida issued their own “Safer at Home” orders directing non-essential businesses to close, residents to stay home unless on essential activities, and for everyone to maintain safe social distancing practices.
Thankfully, Governor DeSantis’ executive order specifically declares that churches and other houses of worship are essential during this time, but we will not do anything that might endanger either our congregation or those with whom they might come in contact. The verse that Fr. Looker said would guide our actions during this time is still 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” We will continue to do everything that we can to share the love of God, but we will do so in a prudent way that makes every use of the sound minds which God has given us.
Recognizing that this current crisis makes for very fluid circumstances, here are our plans at the moment. We will continue to live stream our Sunday morning services via Facebook Live. We will do so with a skeleton crew that will be ten people or less, which follows the CDC recommendations and our Bishop’s directives. Those people who are present in the building will do their best to maintain a healthy 6 feet of social distance whenever possible. We will provide Holy Communion through the Host only to those who are present in the Sanctuary and those who join us in the parking lot at the designated times. We believe that this allows us to be in submission to all of our earthly authorities while still remaining faithful to our heavenly authority which calls us to preach the Gospel at all times, and in all places; to be a light which shines in the darkness; and to bring hope to those who otherwise might have none.
In particular, we will hold our Palm Sunday service on Sunday, April 5th, beginning at 10 o’clock. We will live stream the service through Facebook Live and those wishing to receive Holy Communion may do so in our parking lot from around 11 o’clock to 11:30. At the time which we serve Holy Communion we will also distribute blessed palms to anyone present to take home.
Our Maundy Thursday service will be April 9th, starting at 7 o’clock. While this service typically includes the clergy washing the feet of the congregation, we will obviously not be able to do that this year. This service will be live streamed via Facebook Live.
Our Good Friday service will be release on our YouTube channel at noon on Friday, April 10th. This will not be streamed live but we encourage those of you who watch it to share it on Facebook. Our service will include the traditional reading of the Passion Gospel, the Solemn Collects, the adoration of the Cross, and, as is our tradition, seven meditations on the Passion of Our Lord.
We have yet to determine exactly how we will observe Holy Saturday. In the past we have prayed the Liturgy for the Pre-Born outside a local abortion clinic. We have yet to make a determination about this service.
Easter Sunday, April 12th, we will do our very best to celebrate the glorious resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ and to give that day all of the glory and honor it deserves. Our service will be streamed live via our Facebook channel starting at 10 o’clock. If you just cannot imagine an Easter Sunday without going to Church, then celebrate with us in our parking lot and receive Holy Communion from 11:00-11:30.
We know that these are anxious and uncertain times. This will be a Holy Week unlike anything anyone has ever celebrated in over 100 years. At Church of the Messiah, we are doing our very best to bring honor and glory to God, to bring hope and joy to God’s people, and to be that city on a hill that shines out God’s light in this dark time. We invite you to join with us during this time. By God’s grace, we will get through this together.
In an effort to give the very best response to the ever-changing Corona Virus crisis, we are changing our plans for our service this Sunday, March 22nd. While Mayor Lenny Curry has restricted building occupancy to less than 50 people, we believe that it is most prudent to follow the President’s and the CDC’s guidelines and restrict those gathering in Church of the Messiah’s building to 10 people or less. Obviously, that begs the question, “How can you have church with 10 people or less?” Our response to that question will be three-fold.
First, we will livestream our service on Facebook Live. We encourage everyone to watch on-line and to start their own “watch parties” and share the church service in this “Corona Virus era” way.
Second, we still urge that anyone showing flu or cold symptoms, anyone who is considered high-risk, and anyone who has traveled to a country where there has been an outbreak, as well as anyone who has been in contact with someone who has traveled to a country where there has been an outbreak to remain home and contact the church office or one our priests. We are blessed to be able pray for you and to bring Holy Communion to you in such a way that you will not put yourself or anyone else at risk. To be clear, those who are considered high-risk are those with cardio vascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, people in treatment for other illnesses, and those who are over sixty years old.
We feel the need to reiterate the second point because our third method of responding to this crisis is where we are really breaking new ground. As we livestream our service, we are opening our parking lot to those who are able to join us. We encourage those who feel so led to join us in our parking lot and watch us via livestream for what we are calling “Drive In Church.” You gather in your car in our parking lot and, when we have consecrated the Eucharist, at around 11 o’clock, we will bring the Body of Christ to those who are in the parking lot.
This is not a perfect solution. It is far from it, but it does allow us adhere to the guidelines set by the President and the CDC, while addressing the two biggest shortcomings of just livestreaming our service. Watching a service on your phone, tablet, or even cast up onto your television does not allow you to have the sense of community that is vital to a church fellowship. We hope that gathering together in the parking lot will foster and strengthen that “we’re all in this together” sense of community that the Church has always had. Secondly, your electronic device cannot ever give you the Blessed Sacrament. While it is not prudent at this point to administer the Blood of Christ, we can still prudently and cautiously administer the Body of Christ to those who gather in our parking lot and remain in their cars. We are working on the way to do this in the most sanitary, secure, and holy way possible.
We do not know how long we will continue to have our services in this manner. We do not know how long this crisis will last. As circumstances continue to unfold, we will continue to adapt to that we can continue to minister the Word of God and the Sacraments of the Church to as many people as we are able in the best and most responsible way that we can find. For this Sunday, we look forward to you joining us on our livestream or in our parking lot.
Please take a few moments and read the following pastoral letter from Fr. Scott Looker, Rector of Church of the Messiah.
Beloved in Christ,
As most of us have in the past few days, the Rector’s Council and I have been very attentive to all of the news and most recent updates on the Corona Virus pandemic and how we can best fulfill our call to be good pastors and shepherds of the congregation which God has entrusted us. In light of that, we met last night and prayerfully formulated this response, aware that this situation is ever-changing and that what we say now may need to be amended in just a few hours.
First and foremost, our response to this and every other situation, crisis or otherwise, is to be guided by the words of Holy Scriptures. Near the time of his own death, St. Paul reminded his disciple Timothy that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7) This verse is terribly relevant because it reminds us of both how we will respond and how we will not respond.
We will not respond in fear. We will not shutter the churches, lock ourselves away, and forget that we are Christians, called that name by a Savior who overcame death itself and calls us to be lights that shine in the darkness. We are, indeed, walking through a dark time in America and in the world, and they shall know that we are Christians by our love. The Great Commission has not been put on hold because a disease runs through the land. The world needs Jesus now more than ever.
We will respond, however, in the spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind which God has given us. In respect to the “sound mind,” that means that we will employ the Christian virtue of Prudence. We will not take foolhardy or dangerous actions because we do not fear the repercussions. Such actions would imperil the lives of countless others and would not be acting in love but rather the height of selfishness. As it relates to the power, we will remember that God bestows on us the Gift of Healing and calls us to pray for others and move in the confidence that even death is not a true defeat because Our Lord has conquered death.
When in comes to love, the greatest of all the gifts, we must be mindful to be charitable in this dark time. Our friends, neighbor, and loved ones will not respond to this crisis the same way that we will. We must show them the love of God. Hundreds of thousands of thousands of people will be financially impacted by this crisis. We should do what we can to reach out in love to those who are hurting. People’s lives have been completely upturned. They need to hear the calming, loving voice of Him who can speak to the wind and waves and say, “Peace, be still.” We must be that voice.
As to practicals changes, we will comply will with the Mayor’s directive to limit occupancy to less than 50 people in a building. We ask that anyone showing flu or cold symptoms, anyone who is considered high-risk, and anyone who has traveled to a country where there has been an outbreak, as well as anyone who has been in contact with someone who has traveled to a country where there has been an outbreak to remain home and contact the church office or one our priests. We are blessed to be able pray for you and to bring Holy Communion to you in such a way that you will not put yourself or anyone else at risk. To be clear, those who are considered high-risk are those with cardio vascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, people in treatment for other illnesses, and those who are over sixty years old.
We will continue our Wednesday night adult Bible study and youth group as regularly scheduled unless otherwise notified. We will be postponing our women’s ministry Bible study on 2 Timothy until further notice. We will be “livestreaming” our Sunday morning services for those who are shut in. Our first attempt at this was last Sunday and it was met with all of the challenges one would expect from launching new technology. We are endeavoring to improve this as we go. You should be able to watch the livestream on our Facebook channel at Facebook.com/mycomjax. We ask everyone to be faithful with their tithes and offerings during this time. As with every other business, bills remain largely unchanged regardless of attendance. Please consider sending in checks by mail or giving on-line. If you have not already set up on-line giving, you can visit mycomjax.com/give or text “mycomjax” to 77977 and follow the directions. The service which we use to process on-line donations is PCI DSS Level 1 compliant meaning that they meet the highest standards of industry safety for on-line financial transactions. Thank you for your faithfulness and generosity.
Now, the obvious question is how will we proceed with Holy Communion? In the past week, I have reached out all over. I have talked with dozens of clergy, read all sorts of web-pages and blogs, looked at what this parish and that diocese is doing. I have made my decision. Not everyone will like it. Some will think it too harsh; some will think it too weak. Remember that responding in power, love, and a sound mind requires that each of us move in faith, make prudent decisions for ourselves, and be charitable to those with whom we disagree.
We will continue to distribute the the Body and Blood of Christ in the Holy Eucharist and we will make the Chalice available to those who wish to drink from the Chalice. We will in no way think less of those who refrain from partaking of the Blood of Christ in the Chalice, nor will we think more highly of those who choose to partake. It is a choice that is made with a great many factors involved and we will not judge. We will NOT allow any longer, however, what is known as intinction, or the dipping of the Host into the Chalice. Many see this as the healthier and more sanitary option and wonder why I exclude it. I will explain.
If we are going to make a change, it must be a change that will legitimately and truly impact the health of those worshiping with us and not just appear to do so. While intinction appears to be more sanitary, having consulted with medical professionals and other clergy, I believe that is not more sanitary, rather it is just a different way of transmitting germs. Instead of the possibility of transmitting germs from mouths on the Chalice (mitigated by several factors: diligent acolyte cleanliness, the metallic surface of the Chalice, the alcohol content of the wine, etc…), intinction creates contact with every hand in the congregation, and then places the fingers of the server in the Chalice and then near the mouth and nose of every other member of the congregation. This is not a more sanitary way of receiving Communion; it is rather a different way to transmit germs. To be clear, there will be NO dipping of Hosts into the Chalice by anyone, clergy or lay, until this crisis has passed.
It is worth acknowledging that we believe both the Body and Blood of Christ are contained within the Host so one is “fully” partaking of Communion if one “only” receives the Host and elects not to drink from the Chalice.
All of what has been said before can change in the blink of an eye. As of the current press releases, tweets, and updates, this is the best course of action that the Rector’s Council and I can assemble in the face of this current crisis. Given the fluidity of the circumstances, this may change very quickly and we will do our very best to update everyone as soon as possible. We are very aware that Holy Week and Easter are only a few weeks away and we want those experiences to be the best, most glorious services which we have ever had, while at the same time maintaining the safety of all our members.
While these circumstance may change daily, it is important to remember that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and that His Word never changes. The Church has been through crises before. It has been through plagues and pestilences before. We will not stop being the Church because of COVID-19. We may start doing some things differently, but our mandate to share the Gospel has not changed because of a virus or a limit on the number of people who can gather in one place at a time. Prior to His betrayal and Crucifixion, when Our Lord would endure His own isolation and ultimately conquer death, He reminded His Disciples, “Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:32-33) In this season, we may find ourselves isolated, but we are not alone because Christ is with us. We are facing a trial the likes of which none of us has ever faced before. Nevertheless, be of good cheer. We serve a God who has overcome the world.
I am praying for you and I look forward to worshiping Our Risen Lord together with you on Sunday morning (on livestream or in person).
SJL 
This Sunday, July 5th, Church of the Messiah will hold its first worship service that will be open to the public since the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic in March. After an unfortunate delay last week, we are so blessed and excited to be able to gather in the sanctuary of Ft. Caroline Presbyterian Church, the church from whom we lease our current building. Throughout the month of July, Ft. Caroline Presbyterian will be graciously allowing us to worship in their sanctuary which can seat up to 300 people so that our congregation may gather together once again and still maintain appropriate social distancing. We are so excited to be able to worship together (in person) once again after worshiping together on-line for four months.
