A Letter from Bishop Derek Lecakes 3/20

Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Blessed Lententide!

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  Psalm 18:2.

The cases of novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) continue to rise. Governor Cuomo is restricting all non-essential services and having all people stay home. This is an executive order that will soon be signed. It prohibits all public gatherings and limits movement except for essential needs. Details continue to be released and our present reality seems to shift continually.

We have all faced adversity before. We all know fear and anxiety are present in our lives. And yet the Lord is the same, today, yesterday and forever. He is the Lord and remains the Lord of the church. He is our rock and fortress.

It is in the midst of fear and anxiety that we, as the church, can and will remain steadfast. We still believe that Jesus is present in and with us. We face this challenging time together with the seriousness and reality of the situation becoming more apparent. This means for the time being our worship services must move to print, the phone, or online. This will be a challenge. However this is one way that we can show love to our neighbor and the world around us.

The Lord is still the rock on which my faith stands. The Lord is still where I find my refuge. It his love and grace which gives me grace in this moment to face the fear and anxiety around me.

The questions that is raised is “What can I do?”

• Pray – We believe that prayer is a direct connection to God. He invites us to come before him and share with him anything that is on our hearts. We pray for all those affected by Covid-19; for our medical workers; for the leaders guiding the way; and for our churches as they continue to “Engage the World with the Gospel of Hope.” So please pray.
• Create Community – You can reach out to members of your community. While we are in a time of physical distancing, the need for community and communication does not disappear. A phone call or video chat can help create a smile and a light attitude.
• Be Safe & Smart – We need to follow the CDC guidelines and what our civil authorities have passed: no public gatherings of any size; washing our hands; physical/social distancing; and others. We need to treat this situation with appropriate seriousness and caution.

• Personal Devotions and Worship – There are a number of resources from your church and from the district. AD-LCMS.org has just a few of the resources that are available to you. We should not give up on worship, it just needs to be in a different form for a while. There are resources on the Atlantic District website and others around the synod including Lutheran Hour Ministries.
• Stewardship of God’s gifts – These are trying times. The uncertainty of the financial picture does not help. Many of our churches are working to provide online giving. As you are able, the support of your church is important, whether online or a mailed check. If you are struggling and in need, you should let your pastor know. This is one of the ways we can be the church together.
  The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2
  Our refuge is in the Lord. He is the one who will see us through. He is the one who offers us life everlasting.
  The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift up his face upon you and give you peace.

Rev. Derek G. Lecakes

President/Bishop of the Atlantic District