COVID-19

At its October 14 meeting, Diocesan Council approved a second funding cycle of the Marge Christie Fund for 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In August and September, many more churches have filed plans to worship with a physically present congregation.

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced other area food pantries to hit pause, the food pantry at St. Agnes’, Little Falls stepped up.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the annual Drumming Camp at St. Stephen’s, Millburn was a scaled-down event – two days instead of five, with about half as many campers and without many older volunteers. The Rev. Paula Toland reports that both days started with health screenings, and everyone followed the mask-wearing and physical-distancing requirements without complaints. The weather cooperated, so they spent nearly all their time outdoors under the tents, making crafts, dancing, playing safe outdoor games and sharing meals in addition to drumming.

The unpredictability of what “school” will look like this year means flexibility is the key to that ministry, according to those in the midst of connecting with their communities’ schools.

When Martha’s Pantry first opened at St. Clement’s, Hawthorne in November 2019, nobody came.

“We advertised all around town – the libraries, the storefronts, Facebook – but no one showed up. That was kind of sad,” said Linda Heerema, the parishioner who manages Martha’s Pantry.

“However, the second week we opened we had five families and it continued to grow after that. Last week, we fed over 100 people.”