Presiding Bishop who preached at Royal Wedding offers hope for churchgoers during COVID-19 pandemic
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- While church doors across the Triangle and beyond will remain locked Easter morning, the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church has a message to the faithful worried about missing services: They are doing God's will by not going to church.
As we all cope with coronavirus impact, Raleigh's own Most Rev. Michael Curry offered hope heading into this holy holiday weekend.
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"It may not look like Easter. And yet, in that first Easter, it didn't look like Easter either," Curry said.
As leader of the nation's Episcopal churches, Bishop Curry's offices are in New York. But COVID-19 has him working primarily from home in Raleigh -- delivering sermons on Facebook and prayer circles on Zoom and Skype.
The bishop gave his perspective on processing an Easter with no family gatherings and no going to church. Curry likened the feeling to the first Easter: Jesus executed; his followers uncertain where God was; then the miracle of resurrection.
"Easter was about a tragedy that was turned into a triumph; about God working behind the scenes, invisibly, in ways that people didn't know," Curry said. "And if we work together with our God and together with each other we will find our way forward."
Curry gained global fame two years ago for his passion-filled sermon at Prince Harry and Megan's wedding. On Easter Sunday he is set to deliver the sermon at Washington's National Cathedral. But, because of COVID-19, Curry has already recorded it -- on his iPhone to be streamed live Sunday morning.
"So I'll be home, sitting in front of a computer screen, watching the service like everybody else by livestream," Curry said.
There will be no lilies, no jellybeans, and no Easter bunnies. Instead, Bishop Curry calling on the faithful to focus on compassion and mercy.
"The title of the message is, 'It's Easter Anyway.' it may not look like Easter. It may not smell like it. It may not feel like it. But, it's Easter anyway."
Celebrating a Christian miracle and praying for end to a pandemic.
