Diocese of Montana Newsletter, April 2020
The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry.
As Montanans we are doing something we have not done in a century: sheltering in place to stop an epidemic, or at least modify its course. This will be hard, not only because of our culture, but also the economic impact on those who are not able to work because of it. This action is one of radical hospitality: hospitality to those who are at risk and to those who are caring for the sick. The disease could easily overwhelm our medical system which would cause unnecessary death and morbidity, including the long-term lung effects on some survivors.
We are walking straight into our fears. Our lives are not our own for they are now dependent on the actions of a virus, which is neither sentient nor even alive. Our lives are now dependent on the actions of our fellow citizens, whether good or ill. If we become sick, we will become dependent on our medical system which may be overwhelmed and have to make decisions they do not wish to make: who gets aggressive treatment and who does not. This feels like a valley of dry bones. While we can prophesy to ourselves to ease some of the anxiety, much like in the Ezekiel reading we can put sinew and flesh and skin on the dry bones, but we are still not alive in Christ. It is only by handing all of this to Christ that we live. Handing it all to Christ does not mean then living fatalistically, but in deep and abiding love for our neighbor and for God’s creation.
Click here to read the complete newsletter, including the following:
- Reflections by Bishop Marty and Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
- Around the Diocese
- Prayer for a Pandemic
- Message from Rev. Mary Alice Jones, Disaster Coordinator
- Be Not Afraid!, by Valerie Hess, Holy Spirit, Missoula
- Three Ecumenical Organizations Release Unprecedented Letter
- Finance Corner, by Barb Hagen
- The Episcopal Church - Genesis II: Re-vision & Renew
- Generosity365 Academy
- Episcopal Relief & Development
- Technology Tutorials
- Safeguarding God's People, May 2, 2020
- Camp Marshall: We're Hiring!
- Camp Marshall Cancellations
- New Executive DIrector for Camp Marshall: David Campbell
- Ecumenical opportunities
- Save these dates!
- St. James, Bozeman, is hiring a Part-Time Youth Director
- Happy Easter from the Diocesan Office