My Beloved Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.” I Corinthians 16:13
Week after week as we monitored the progress of our parishes
re-opening for worship, even on a limited basis, my heart was filled
with joy that these small steps were leading us on a gradual path
towards the restoration of parish life. With 67 churches in our
Metropolis, it has been a challenge to monitor the ups and downs of each
municipality as the tracking of the COVID-19 pandemic would influence
which parishes could open their doors for Divine Services.
Two weeks ago, nearly 80% of our parishes were open to some extent.
As the virus would surge in certain areas, there were new mandates that
forced the closure of many parishes, relegating several of them to
revert back to online services only, or requiring outdoor services with
limited seating. I know this has brought great disappointment to many of
our clergy and faithful. I also recognize there are still communities
in certain parts of our Metropolis that are anxiously awaiting the doors
of their parishes to open after four months of virtual worship.
Please know that I would like nothing more than our churches to be
full, but at the present time, this is not possible. But that does not
mean our faith should be diminished. Our faith is not just confined to
the wall of our parishes. Rather, it is something that fills your heart
and soul, and permeates every aspect of your life. Your faith in God and
your belief in Him should guide your every step each and every day. I
am grateful for your patience and understanding, and I continue to pray
daily for the safekeeping of you and your loved ones.
During these challenging times, I have also had the opportunity to
communicate with my fellow Pan-Orthodox hierarchs on numerous occasions.
Because of our shared love and concern for the flocks entrusted to our
care, we communicated directly with San Francisco Mayor London Breed and
County Health Officer Dr. Tomás Aragón. The ongoing restrictions in the
bay area motivated us to raise our collective voices, so we sent a
letter requesting consideration for the need to prioritize the reopening
of churches for in-person worship. This also led to a lengthy video
conference with Mayor Breed along with Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone
from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco. The Mayor was
sympathetic to our plea, but within a short time following our meeting,
California Governor Gavin Newsom closed many of our counties for indoor
worship services due to the rise in COVID-19 cases.
The COVID-19 Support Team that was formed by the Metropolis over
three months ago continues to meet weekly for the development of
resources and to serve as a guide for the ongoing challenges of
re-opening our parishes. We also continue to share important information
with our clergy and parish leadership to assist with financial
management, stewardship and fundraising, not to mention our ongoing
expanded ministries which have smoothly transitioned to online programs.
As these continue to be tenuous times with the uncertainty of the
trajectory of the pandemic, please continue to beseech the Lord’s
blessings upon all those who are caring for the ill, those on the front
lines, and all those who are diligently researching to find a cure for
this virus. We owe these dedicated workers our sincere thanks for all
they are doing for our protection.
I pray that someday soon I may share with you that our all parishes
are open. While that would be a joyous occasion, we already have heard
the most joyful news of all, that Jesus Christ humbled himself to come
down to earth, to preach the Gospel of love, to be handed over to death
on the Cross, and to rise on the Third Day so that we might have eternal
life in Him.
Stay healthy. Stay strong. Stay faithful. God is with you always!
With Love in Christ,+ G E R A S I M O S
Metropolitan of San Francisco