03/13/2020
Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Hudson Ward,
As you may be aware, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles issued a statement today suspending all church activities until further notice. That announcement can be found at newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org.
For our ward specifically, the following are suspended or cancelled:
Sacrament Meeting
All other Sunday meetings
Wednesday Night Activities for Children and Youth
Seminary and Institute Classes
Relief Society and Elder’s Quorum Activities
Ward Linger Longer on 3/29
Youth Service Auction on 4/3
What is NOT suspended?
Holding weekly, meaningful home-centered scripture study and worship on Sunday
Ministering to individuals and families of the ward
Providing the sacrament to members of the ward
The prophet Helaman taught, “And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build, they cannot fall” (Helaman 5:12). As we focus our lives on the Savior and His gospel through weekly study of the scriptures and “Come, Follow Me” as individuals and families, especially on Sundays, we are building upon rock of our Redeemer. The Lord will bless us with peace and we will be prepared to face the storms of uncertainty that will arise.
Please make a concerted, continuous effort to reach out to those individuals that you minister to and make sure that they are being cared for during this challenging time. We will continue to help as a ward where we can. During this heightened time of caution and concern, please remember to exercise wisdom when ministering to others. If you or someone else has flu-like symptoms, please stay at home or refrain from direct contact with that person. Please also make sure that you are following the general health guidelines from the CDC: wash your hands often with soap and warm water or use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol; avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; avoid close contact with those that are sick; cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough; avoid unnecessary contact such as hugging or shaking hands; and stay at home if you are sick. Following these precautions will allow us to do our part in preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus while still blessing the lives of the members of our ward.
Worthy brethren that hold the Melchizedek Priesthood and Priests in the Aaronic Priesthood have my authorization to bless the sacrament in their home each week until normal church meetings resume. Please review and follow the instructions and guidelines found in the General Handbook of Instructions, specifically sections 18.9.1 and 18.9.3, when administering the sacrament to your family and other ward members. For families where a Priesthood holder is not present in the home, and where there is a desire to receive the sacrament, the assigned ministering brothers are authorized to administer the sacrament to those individuals and families.
As we strive to follow the counsel of our church leaders with these modifications to our worship of the Lord, I know that our testimonies of the Savior will increase and we will have a greater feeling of love and appreciation for the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Thank you for all you do for each other and for the Lord. Please stay safe and healthy.
Love,
Bishop Jensen
Church Newsroom - Official Newsroom of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
