Hallelujah! The Lord is risen!

Dear friends in Christ,

This past Sunday we gathered in worship as a congregation, or a good part of one, to celebrate the Resurrection of Our Lord!  What a joy!  We met all the provincial requirements, and all the Diocesan requirements.  I thank all who were in attendance for your smooth cooperation.

We had only the Tower Door unlocked, and then two greeters (Thank you, Char and Felix Farrell!) awaited to let you proceed only after ensuring that we had your contact information.  Then two ushers (Thank you, Marlene and Vic!) took you to your seat, ensuring safe distancing at all times.  Pews are spaced 80 inches (two metres) apart.

There was sanitizer available inside the doors, and again in the centre aisle once your registration had been checked.  In keeping with the Bishop’s directive (and ours) masks were worn throughout the service.  People were also asked, directed, to visit outside after worship.  Some did, all spaced properly.

We had wonderful music — thanks, Helen Suh, Carolyn Boyes, Matt Neufeld on trumpet, and choristers; again, all were safely distanced and masked.

We did not have Holy Communion, no, not even on Easter, as we think it’s better to re-enter in stages; once we are comfortable with all the current COVID requirements, and once many more have received a vaccine, we will consider setting the Lord’s Table and inviting you to receive, bread only!

Finally, in keeping with ‘safety above and beyond’, I have decided that we will, for now, at least, gather in person only EVERY OTHER SUNDAY.  So, the next time we will unlock the Tower Door will be Sunday, 18 April, NOT NEXT WEEK, 11 April.  The Sundays in between (assuming we don’t have to shut down completely again, due to variants and increasing rates) the service will be live streamed via YouTube, as has been our custom.  Indeed, we streamed on Easter Sunday as well, and an additional 30 computers were logged in, meaning we had more than thirty folks participating virtually.  TBTG!

It is my belief that this alternating of Sundays will provide an additional safety factor.  If anyone who was here on Easter Day should develop symptoms, we will know that for certain with a two week gap, including time to get tested for such symptoms.  This will keep us all safer.  We will do this at least through April, as follows:

Sunday, 11 April     NO IN PERSON, LIVESTREAM ONLY
Sunday, 18 April     DOORS OPEN, LIVESTREAM ALSO
Sunday, 25 April     NO IN PERSON, LIVESTREAM ONLY
Sunday, 2 May       DOORS OPEN, LIVESTREAM ALSO
Sunday, 9 May?  We shall see…

VESTRY WILL MEET BY ZOOM AGAIN IN APRIL, WED. 21ST.

Thank you for your strong partnership in looking after each other,
as you have been doing throughout.  TBTG!

The Lord is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

Dean Paul