Thursday Trumpet: May 1, 2020 Re-opening Edition!

Greetings, dear Good Shepherd Parish Family!

I greet you with the great Good News of God:  “Alleluia, Christ is Risen”! Furthermore, the State of Texas, Hood County, Granbury/Acton and GSAC are “re-opening” as of today’s date (May 1st).  That’s also good news!

Those of us who have been like “cave-dwellers”- staying within the 4 walls of our homes, and rarely going outside the property lines- may now begin to venture forth on foot or in our cars to enjoy freedom from “post-Covid-19” sheltering-in-home.  Governor Abbott has let his lock-down order terminate on 4/30/20.  No one will be breaking the law by leaving their homes and driving across town, or across the state.

What are we to responsibly do with this re-opening?

That depends entirely on our age, physical condition, immunity exposure dangers, and our God given common sense.  If you are among the following groups of people, you will want to think very carefully how soon you want to choose to mingle with  other people:

  • People with known respiratory ailments, or susceptibility to viruses in general
  • Elderly people whose health is not robust, and who may have had a medical history of compromised immunity 
  • People currently sick with a virus or cold (common sense, here!)
  • People who have had recent, close contact with known Covid-19 ailments

Though this may not be an exhaustive list, you will have heard about the risks of these conditions all through the past 6 weeks.  No need to ignore them now, actually.

However:

If you are NOT in one of the four groups above, you are most heartily encouraged to begin getting back in touch with people in public.  Yes, the 6 foot “social distancing” might still be advisable for you.  But, no, you need not fear emerging from your pandemic isolation into the big, wide, and still-beautiful world.

This most emphatically includes your home Church, Good Shepherd Anglican Church, 3601 Fall Creek Highway, Granbury, Texas 76049.

On Sunday, May 3rd, GSAC will have its first Sunday Mass in the Main Church since March 22nd.  We will celebrate the Holy Eucharist at 9:15 a.m.

Once again, I want to stress this point:  YOU are the one to make the decision about coming to the grounds of the Main Church building on 5/03/20.  Please, err on the side of carefulness!

For the foreseeable future, GSAC will keep recording the Mass for posting to our YouTube account (as we’ve done throughout the Covid-pandemic).  So:  you have the option on 5/03 (and forward) to either come to the “Church House”, or to watch the Mass via YouTube on your favorite device.  Your choice.  As in weeks past, we will continue to include a “Spiritual Communion” set of prayers at the end of the distribution of Communion in the recorded Mass.

With a full heart, I have to say that I have deeply missed each and every one of you during the past 6 weeks of separation/isolation.  It’s hard to do without the actual, physical (“incarnate”) presence of the members of the Body of Christ.  We know we are not meant to be in isolation.  I look forward to greeting many of you (with a “holy elbow”, if not a hug) this coming Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in our beloved, holy House of Prayer.  Pray for GSAC, and for all of those who cannot be present, but would love to be.  As the “re-opening” progresses, I will report to you how we are opening up our Parish Schedule as the months progress.

God bless and keep each one of you.  Remember, my cell # is (817) 894-1756, and you are welcome to use it to talk with me any time.  I’d love to hear from you.

Love in Christ,

Fr. Stuart Smith