Dear beloved People of All Saints,

Jesus said: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

It is with both hope and a heavy heart that I write to inform you that worship and all non-essential meetings have been suspended at All Saints-by-the-Sea until otherwise notified. It is my highest priority as your pastor to care for your well-being, physically and spiritually. My belief is that suspending services for a period of time will better ensure the physical health of our congregation, especially the most vulnerable in our midst. To our knowledge, no one in our congregation has tested positive for COVID-19. This action is being taken purely as a preventative measure to reduce the risk of spreading infection in our community.

To care for your spiritual well-being, a recording of the upcoming Sunday service and a digital bulletin will be sent to parishioners each Sunday via a special edition of the Bell Tower so that you can worship in virtual community from the safety and comfort of your home. Please check your inbox Sunday morning or go to our website to find the service. To be clear, none of All Saints’ Worship, Christian Formation & Fellowship, meetings, and events will be taking place publicly at this time.

This decision has come after significant prayer and consultation. One of the gifts of the church is the rich intergenerational community we share. Of course, that also means that we have a significant number of people whom the CDC have identified as being at higher risk for developing more serious complications from the COVID-19 virus. The Santa Barbara Public Health Department has asked communities of faith to consider modifying our services “so that there can be at least two spaces between each congregant,” or to consider virtual services. I am not able to ensure that we can achieve a safe social distance while worshiping in the Parish Hall; we can, however, provide virtual services. I have made the decision to suspend worship and non-essential meetings in conversation with The Rt. Rev. John Taylor, Bishop of Los Angeles, and in consultation with the wardens, vestry and staff of All Saints-by-the-Sea. My prayer is that this action will not only increase the safety of the people of All Saints, but will also help slow the rise and spread of COVID-19 in our city, state, and beyond.

At this time, the Parish School will continue to operate in accordance to guidelines put forth by the California Department of Education and the California Department of Public Health. Padric Davis, Director of the Parish School, is in communication with me, the Parish School Board, local schools and licensing authorities, and with the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles’ Commission on Schools. We are continuing to monitor the situation and will make changes should they become necessary.

To support you in your spiritual life during this time of heightened anxiety, we have created a “Pray Online” tab on our website with links to online resources for Daily Devotions, Daily Office (Morning, Noontime, Evening, Compline prayer), Scripture Study/Meditation, Centering Prayer, recordings of All Saints’ sermons and services, and links to webcasts of the latest worship services from Washington National Cathedral and Trinity Church Wall Street. Members of the Vestry will also be reaching out to parishioners to check in and share Christian fellowship over the phone. Clergy will still be available for pastoral care, and the Church Office will remain open at this time. Please contact the church office to let us know if you are sick or have a pastoral need, or need assistance preparing for social isolation.

I also want to share with you the safety precautions that I am taking as your priest and pastor. I am suspending travel and hotel stays; refraining from going to restaurants, theaters, and public gatherings; and generally limiting opportunities for exposure to infection. This is not necessarily because I fear the impact of the virus on my own health, but because I live in rich and abundant relationships with myriad people who are significantly vulnerable to serious complications from COVID-19. Our lives are linked with one another in ways both seen and unseen. Our Presiding Bishop, The Rt. Rev. Michael Curry, recently reminded us that, “Jesus came to show us … how to live not simply as collections of individual self-interest, but how to live as the human family of God.”

May we all embrace the mutual responsibility we have to one another and to our global community by heeding the calls of those charged with our public safety and by making wise and discerning decisions for ourselves and for the common good. May we follow our good and loving Christ by caring for the least in our midst. And may we cast our hopes and fears upon our ever-faithful, ever-loving, and Almighty God.

The Rev. Aimée Eyer-Delevett

Rector, All Saints by-the-Sea Episcopal Church and Parish School