Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I have some exciting news: We will be returning to indoor worship very soon!! The Diocese has loosened up its restrictions as cases of COVID in our area have declined and more and more people are getting vaccinated. Likewise, the Vestry and I put together a plan for the Diocese which indicates how we will conduct indoor worship to best ensure everyone's safety. I have submitted that plan to the Diocese yesterday and have a few more steps to follow which will be taken care of in the next couple of days.
That said, it is my hope that, pending Diocesan approval, we will be able to return to indoor worship sometime around late April-early May. (I can't give a firm date yet, as I need to wait for our plan to be approved and they are trying to work through quite a few plans right now.)
Please note that this will not be a return back to the way things were on March 1, 2020, though. Given that COVID is still a reality, we will have a number of changes, at least for a little while. The changes will include the following:
1. There are only going to be 40 seats available (socially-distanced 6ft apart in all directions), which will be both single seats and groups of 2-8. All the other chairs have been removed from the Sanctuary.
2. There being limited seating, there will be a mandatory RSVP system in place. In other words, you'll need to sign up to attend, so that seats can be assigned to you. The Usher on duty that day will direct you to your seats when you arrive on Sunday.
3. You will have to wear a mask throughout the entire service.
4. The service will be Holy Communion, but it will be served in one kind only (the Bread).
5. There will be no congregational singing. Rochelle and Darren will sing at various points during the service for us.
6. The service will be on the projection screen. No Books of Common Prayer, printouts, or bulletins will be handed out or made available.
7. You will need to enter through the front door and you will be dismissed by family groups through the side door near the altar. This is part of the requirements of the Diocese -- to have a separate entrance and exit, if possible.
8. At present time, the plan is to have 2 services at 8:30am and 11am. When you sign up, you'll need to indicate the one you wish to attend. If there is enough demand, we will consider adding another service at another time.
9. And yes, the streamed service on Facebook will continue. The 11am service will be streamed.
I am very excited about this news and I hope that all of you are as well. I'm glad that things are moving in a good direction. I do ask that you please be patient as we make our way through this. This is new ground for all of us.
Let me know if you have any questions. I hope to see you soon!
Yours in Christ,
Kyle+