COVID-19 Updates

March 24:

During this unprecedented time, St. Andrew’s doors remain open to 12-step groups Monday through Saturday and for the Community Café to provide takeout meals to the community on Thursdays. The church is open during the week for anyone to pray or reflect in silence. For these reasons we have not turned back the heat or made other utility changes, which means our bills still need to be paid. In addition, our staff continue to work, so payroll has not stopped either. Since we are not able to gather together and collect an offering each week, please know there are other methods you can use to give to St. Andrew’s during this time.

If you are not already doing so, please consider supporting St. Andrews by one of the following methods:

Mailing a check to the church office: 208 W Foster Ave, State College, PA 16801
Giving online by setting up a regular gift through your Realm profile https://onrealm.org/StAndrewSC (please contact the church office at 237-7659 if you need access)
Giving online at: https://onrealm.org/StAndrewSC/give/now
Contact your bank to set up giving to St. Andrew’s
Text Giving – text StAndrewSC and any amount to the phone number 73256

Giving to Outreach areas of St. Andrew’s can be done in the following ways:

· Community Café

Mailing a check to the church office with “Community Café” in the memo line
Giving online at: https://onrealm.org/StAndrewSC/give/communitycafe

· Parishioners’ Ministry

Mailing a check to the church office with “Parishioners’ Ministry” in the memo line
Giving online at: https://onrealm.org/StAndrewSC/give/PM

If you have any questions about giving, please contact Mary Andrew at financesc@StAndrewSC.org

March 19:

During this time of trial, the Church goes on.

The prayers of the Church go on. Join us for daily Morning Prayer on Zoom (see instructions in your email). The worship of the church goes on. Join us on Facebook Live Sunday morning at 10:00, and if you do not have Facebook, watch your email for a link to the video afterwards.

The service of the Church goes on. Our building has been open for 12-Step meetings, the pet food pantry, and the Community Café (take out only).

The love of the Church goes on. Maybe you can reach out to someone you know is alone to offer a friendly voice, and any help you can safely render. The Church goes on, even when we are not able to be together to celebrate our love for one another.

March 14:

Our bishop, the Rt. Rev. Audrey C. Scanlan, has issued a statement in which she directs that all church worship services, meetings, and other gatherings are to be suspended for two weeks beginning after this coming Sunday, March 15.
We WILL NOT have church on March 22 or 29.
We WILL have church this Sunday, the 15th, with all the precautions outlined below. Children, Youth, and Adult formation classes are all canceled and the nursery will be open, but not staffed. This will give us an opportunity to gather one more time before the time when we will not be able to gather.
This means that, in addition to our Sunday services being canceled on the 22nd and the 29th, the Confirmation service that was scheduled next Tuesday evening will need to be rescheduled. All of our Lenten program events—Taizé, Wednesday dinner and program, Stations of the Cross—will be suspended for now. Daily Morning Prayer in the church is canceled. All church meetings are canceled.
We will, however, allow the 12 step meetings to continue in our building during this time.
The Community Café will continue to operate, but will give take-home meals only.
The staff, wardens, and others with expertise are already working to create online opportunities to worship together and maintain a sense of community in our isolation. Fr. Jeff intends to post sermons, recorded and in print, on our web page. We plan to utilize the church’s Facebook page more. And we are developing methods for individuals to be included in the ongoing life of the church during this time when we cannot gather physically.
Also, we will distribute reminders of how you may make a pledge payment or donation online, as the expenses of the church will not take a holiday. Please read the bishop’s letter by clicking the link in the first paragraph of this email.
The prayers of the church never end. We are connected over time and space to the Communion of saints. Therefore, no virus will keep us apart, not really. We are united in Christ. Our hearts are united, even if we are not together in person. Please continue to pray every day. Pray for our nation and the world as we deal with this pandemic. Pray for our leaders. Pray for those who are sick, those who care for them, their families, and all the communities responding to the threat.

March 13:

We plan on having all worship services this Sunday, March 15–8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., and 5:00 p.m. Plans for future events may change rapidly. Stay tuned. We will communicate any changes as soon as we have the information.

First of all, we must take very seriously the high risk factors that have been identified. DO NOT come to church if any of the following applies to you:

You are over the age of 60
You have any chronic health conditions, especially related to your lungs, but including a heart condition, high blood pressure, diabetes, or kidney problems.
You have a compromised immune system for any reason.

Please follow the public health recommendations about keeping yourself isolated if you have any of these high risk factors. Remember that if you do not fit one of the high risk categories but you live with someone who does, you should act as if you yourself are at risk.

Your health and well-being is of most importance. Therefore, we will change a number of our practices related to worship this Sunday in an attempt to keep everyone safe.

We will distribute Communion in only one kind, bread only. This in no way diminishes the sacrament. It simply, allows us to avoid any concerns about passing the virus through contact with the chalice.
We will not kneel at the rail for Communion. Most people touch the rail when getting down or getting up. We will distribute Communion standing.
The offering plate will not be passed by the ushers. There will be a plate at the front and back doors for you to place your offering in as you enter.
As last week, we will not shake hands or hug when greeting one another, either during the Peace or at the door.
Fellowship: The breakfast after the 8:00 service is canceled. The coffee hour after the 10:00 service will go on, but there will be no food, and drinks will be poured for you.
The church school is canceled.
The adult education forum is canceled.

These are strange and anxiety filled times. God is with us always. During times like this we may find it easier to look to God for help and support. If that is the case, perhaps there is a blessing in all of this. Everyday we are dependent on God’s goodness and providence. We just might be feeling that dependence a little more acutely these days. Perhaps we can incorporate this experience into our Lenten practice this year.