Dear St. Gregory family:
We are delighted to plan the move to the
Phase Two
of the restoration of the church services which will allow the attendance of our parishioners during the Divine Liturgy and will begin on
Sunday, July 12
th
.
Please be aware that there are several restrictions and guidelines we must follow, some required by law, others by common sense.
“Opening of the Doors” Service
On July 12th at 10:00am, prior to the Holy
Badarak
, we will perform a special Opening of the Doors (
Turunpatzek
) Service outdoors, in front of the main entrance of the church (weather permitting).
Guidelines for the restoration of participation in the Divine Liturgy at St. Gregory the Enlightener Armenian Church effective Sunday, July 12, 2020.
Click here
to read the detailed guidelines in the Diocesan Directive.
• Everyone is required to wear a face mask upon entering the church. There will also be a hand sanitizer dispenser at the door and everyone will be required to use it when entering the church.
• Once the sanctuary is full to the capacity per the guidelines, new arrivals will be escorted to the Atrium. Chairs will be set up six feet apart in the atrium and the service will be streamed on the TV.
• Every other row of pews will be closed off, in order to promote distancing. In the pews that are open each person, or group arriving together, should remain six feet apart from others.
• The collection plate will not be passed during the service. Instead, it will be placed in front of the sanctuary doors. We appreciate your generosity.
• The Kiss of Peace: will be offered, but without physical contact. Whether offering or receiving the
Voghchouyn
, place your hand over your heart and bow your head toward the other person from wherever you stand, offering the traditional greeting and response:
Kristos ee mech mer haydnetsav -- Orhnyal eh haydnoutiounun Kristosee.
• Communion will still not be distributed: The cel
ebrant will continue to take communion on behalf of the parishioners until further notice. Everyone will take part in the sacrament of penance (confession).
• “Mahs” will NOT be distributed as well even though in the previous email we announced that it will.
• Until further notice, unfortunately, there will be no coffee hour after Badarak. No food or drink is permitted in the atrium.
If you are not feeling well, please stay home. If you have an underlying health condition it may be wise to still follow us online as we will continue to stream the services on Facebook and YouTube.
May our Lord keep all of us safe and healthy.
Best regards,
Fr. Mesrob and the Parish Council
