An updated word about cancellations

UPDATED: March 17th

Dear Richmond Hill Friends and Family,

We continue to monitor the coronavirus outbreak and recommendations from the CDC and other health experts in our community. We know the critical thing is to slow the rate of the epidemic so medical facilities are not overwhelmed.  As we have all been told, the most effective way to do that is through social distancing, which for us means cancelling gatherings and minimizing visitors to Richmond Hill.

We are cancelling Richmond Hill activities for the foreseeable future. We will not hold community worship and dinners on Tuesday nights, and are cancelling other activities including committee meetings, the hosting of groups or overnight retreats, and in-person spiritual direction sessions until further notice. Non-residential staff will work remotely for their own safety and that of the residents who continue to live at Richmond Hill.

The residential community will continue to open the chapel for prayers three times a day, 7am, noon, and 6pm.  We invite you to join us from where you are.  You can find our daily prayer cycles here and our weekly Metro Richmond @ Prayer cycle here.

“Seeking God’s healing of metropolitan Richmond and beyond is as critical as ever, and we will continue to find ways to connect with our community from afar.  See our website and Facebook page for updates.

We are part of a nation and world consumed with fear and worry over this pandemic.  It’s imperative that we remind each other that we remain a community of faith built on the promise of hope and a love that casts out fear. We are called to care for our neighbors and protect the vulnerable, be our sisters’ and brothers’ keepers, and take seriously our calling as peacemakers and reconcilers.

The preventive action we participate in now is intended to lessen the spread and impact of the virus in our community and to protect the most vulnerable among us.

Our prayers for healing extend beyond metropolitan Richmond in recognition of the international kinship this crisis accentuates even at a time social distancing is required. Together we’ll see this through.

For more information about Covid-19 and how to keep safe please visit:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/surveillance-and-investigation/novel-coronavirus/

Peace and every good,

Joel

Rev. Joel Blunk
Co-Pastoral Director