Our Bishop met with the clergy of the diocese on Tuesday. He reiterated his direction that no more than ten people are to be in a church building at the same time. Clearly this direction will change in the future, but at this point we do not know when. Accordingly, our parish offices will remain closed, and in-person worship services will remain suspended. The clergy and staff of the parish are still available to you by phone or email, and our online worship and study opportunities will continue. A listing of those opportunities is available on our website here.

Your staff and clergy, your Vestry, the Reopening Committee, and many of our lay leaders have being working hard to prepare for the day when we will once again begin to worship in person. When we do, we will offer services of Matins, or Morning Prayer, instead of Communion. This beautiful service, a defining aspect of Anglicanism, was the primary service of worship in most Episcopal churches until 1979. It allows for the practice of safe distancing and minimizes movement during the service. Many of our more senior parishioners are quite familiar with this richly elegant service, and I think those of you who are not will come to appreciate the depth with which you will feel God's presence among us. You will find more information on the theology of Morning Prayer, courtesy of Father Reho, here.

We have made some very practical and necessary decisions regarding the conduct of worship when the time comes. The church will be sanitized before each service. Entry and exit will be through the Orleans doors only, and seating will be conducted by the ushers to ensure distancing. The service bulletins will include the entire service so Prayer Books and Hymnals will not be needed or available. We ask that you wear a mask, and those of you who are 65 or older or who have underlying medical conditions are asked not to attend in accordance with Center for Disease Control guidelines. If you are sick or do not feel well, protect others by staying at home. We plan to continue to stream our services live for the indefinite future.

This Sunday we will move to our Summer schedule as previously announced, so the Memorial Day weekend Eucharist honoring those who have died in the service of our country will be at 10:00 a.m. On the following Sunday, May 31, the Day of Pentecost, we will be streaming a service of Choral Matins at 10:00 a.m., and we will continue to do so for the immediate future.

The current thinking is that once we are able to worship in person again, services will be at 8:00 a.m. (said Morning Prayer) and 10:00 a.m. (Choral Matins) with a service for families in the parish hall on the last Sunday of the month. Holy Hospitality and other social events will remain suspended, and the current formational programs will remain online.

The buildings remain closed. The Church as the Body of Christ remains open, alive, and well. We know two things for sure. One is that this situation in which we find ourselves is evolving and plans are subject to change. The other is that wherever we are physically, however we gather together, God is with us and God loves us. Thanks be to God!