News
COVID-19 Protocols Update (based on the Diocese’s recommendations)
Dear parishioners:
At a meeting of the Vestry on Monday evening, we reviewed the current status of our careful response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the safety of our members, visitors and partner organizations who use our campus. The following changes were approved by the Vestry:
+ Pre-registration, check-in, and temperature checks will no longer be needed as of June 27th (St. Peter and Paul) and so we will celebrate this important feast day in the spirit of optimism, gratitude for God’s blessings over the past year, and excitement as all fully-vaccinated worshippers we all can now sing during all our services!
+ Put Hymnals and Prayer books back in the pews (once cleaning of the sanctuary is complete in July).
+ Allow all parishioners to sing both indoors and outdoors and the choir may expand to its full membership. All choir members should be fully-vaccinated if at all possible. Choir rehearsal may expand if all are fully-vaccinated. The Vestry will review this in August, knowing the summer choir is traditionally smaller than normal.
+ Allow all fully-vaccinated individuals to worship unmasked at 8 a.m., 9 a.m., & 11 a.m., including the choir. This would be on the honor system and unvaccinated people will be asked to wear masks.
+ Staff is working on increasing airflow on Sunday mornings using fans and opening windows.
+ Expand to total occupancy capacity.
+ Eucharist will continue to be offered in one kind only. The priest should remain masked and gloved when administering the host, even if fully-vaccinated.
+ Per CDC guidelines, activities for children and youth should continue to operate under the Diocese’s previously published guidance, which includes masks and social distancing for all participants.
+ All of the previously published protocols from the Diocese remain in effect, including allowing for food and drink, as long as it is not in shared containers. We will begin providing water and refreshments outside throughout the anticipated hot summer months knowing the sanctuary is not air-conditioned.
We hope members and their families will continue to support others who may feel anxious or wish to continue wearing masks, especially young families (where children have not yet been vaccinated) or people with immune-related concerns. We continue to offer an outside eucharist at 9 a.m. (weather permitting) throughout the summer. We will continue to have an 8 a.m. spoken service and online streaming of the 11 a.m. service for parishioners who are not ready to return to public worship and those newcomers who have an online relationship with us and may eventually join us in person.
The diversity of practices and support we are giving each other is an important value for this congregation. We feel confident that these changes will energize this new beginning with the call of Rev. Eric Hungerford who joins us, with his family, in August.
Please feel free to reach out and contact us with any concerns or issues that you may have.
In Christ,
Rev. Canon Albert J. Ogle, Interim Rector
Ruth Desiderio, Rector’s Warden
