October 22, 2020
Dear People of St. Christopher's
This Sunday...
is the conclusion of Jesus' long argument with religious leaders in the last week of his life. A lawyer tries to test Jesus by asking him what is the greatest commandment. In a time when so many commitments are competing for our attention, we can be grateful to this lawyer for setting Jesus up to lay out his priorities. Join us as we let the gospel call us back to loving God and our neighbor. Our annual giving campaign also continues with speakers at all three services.
You can access Rite 2 Morning Prayer at 11:00 via Zoom or on our Facebook page. Click here for Sunday's 11:00 Morning Prayer liturgy.
If you need help, or didn't receive the church's email on Thursday, please contact Eric or Jen or Abbi.
How This Sunday Will Work (check back later for next Sunday's details)
Click here for Sunday's 11:00 Morning Prayer liturgy
To attend an in-person experience, please read our safety protocols below. The highlights are that you must sign up in advance, we will not be passing out full leaflets, we strongly encourage you to bring your own chair if possible, everyone over two must wear a mask, and everyone is expected to remain in marked, distanced zones the entire time they are on the lawn. Here's what you need for Sunday:
Download the liturgy. Note that we will not be passing out full leaflets and encourage you to try worshiping without constant reference to your phone/tablet.
Download, print, and bring this document of just the parts of the service where The People pray whole paragraphs at once.
Noon Adult Formation: join us on the lawn or join adult formation by Zoom!
We can't do what we all want to do right now. But we are trying to find ways to worship faithfully. Without doubt, some things will go wrong on Sunday and it certainly won't be what we are used to (for instance, there will be no singing, walls, or pews). Thank you for your flexibility!
In Person Worship Plan Going Forward
At its September meeting, the vestry determined that we will continue our current practices for Sunday worship for as long as the weather permits. This means that we hope to be on the lawn for all three of our regular liturgies each Sunday (while zooming and streaming Wiggle Worship and Rite 2). If the weather is predicted to be inclement, we will announce by email on Saturday afternoon that the liturgy will be fully on Zoom. We cannot predict how long it will be warm enough to continue this practice, but we currently have no plans to return to in-person worship inside the church facility while the pandemic is so far from being under control. Pray for us, love your neighbors, and wear your mask!
Sign up for Wiggle Worship in September.
Sign up for Rite 2 at 11:00 in September.
In-Person Worship Safety Protocols
On the distribution of communion:
Dear People of St. Christopher's
This Sunday...
is the conclusion of Jesus' long argument with religious leaders in the last week of his life. A lawyer tries to test Jesus by asking him what is the greatest commandment. In a time when so many commitments are competing for our attention, we can be grateful to this lawyer for setting Jesus up to lay out his priorities. Join us as we let the gospel call us back to loving God and our neighbor. Our annual giving campaign also continues with speakers at all three services.
You can access Rite 2 Morning Prayer at 11:00 via Zoom or on our Facebook page. Click here for Sunday's 11:00 Morning Prayer liturgy.
If you need help, or didn't receive the church's email on Thursday, please contact Eric or Jen or Abbi.
How This Sunday Will Work (check back later for next Sunday's details)
Click here for Sunday's 11:00 Morning Prayer liturgy
To attend an in-person experience, please read our safety protocols below. The highlights are that you must sign up in advance, we will not be passing out full leaflets, we strongly encourage you to bring your own chair if possible, everyone over two must wear a mask, and everyone is expected to remain in marked, distanced zones the entire time they are on the lawn. Here's what you need for Sunday:
- 8:00 Rite 1: bring your own chair and Book of Common of Prayer. Notify Eric in advance if you are not an 8:00 regular but would like to attend. Wear a mask!
- 9:30 Wiggle Worship:
Sign up to attend wiggle worship in person.
Join us for wiggle worship online by Zoom.
Bring your own chairs and wear a mask! - 11:00 Rite 2:
Sign up to attend Rite 2 at 11:00 in person.
Join the Rite 2 11:00 service by Zoom.
Bring your own chairs and wear a mask!
Download the liturgy. Note that we will not be passing out full leaflets and encourage you to try worshiping without constant reference to your phone/tablet.
Download, print, and bring this document of just the parts of the service where The People pray whole paragraphs at once.
Noon Adult Formation: join us on the lawn or join adult formation by Zoom!
We can't do what we all want to do right now. But we are trying to find ways to worship faithfully. Without doubt, some things will go wrong on Sunday and it certainly won't be what we are used to (for instance, there will be no singing, walls, or pews). Thank you for your flexibility!
In Person Worship Plan Going Forward
At its September meeting, the vestry determined that we will continue our current practices for Sunday worship for as long as the weather permits. This means that we hope to be on the lawn for all three of our regular liturgies each Sunday (while zooming and streaming Wiggle Worship and Rite 2). If the weather is predicted to be inclement, we will announce by email on Saturday afternoon that the liturgy will be fully on Zoom. We cannot predict how long it will be warm enough to continue this practice, but we currently have no plans to return to in-person worship inside the church facility while the pandemic is so far from being under control. Pray for us, love your neighbors, and wear your mask!
Sign up for Wiggle Worship in September.
Sign up for Rite 2 at 11:00 in September.
In-Person Worship Safety Protocols
- All liturgies are held outside. In the event of inclement weather, the people may bring umbrellas or the liturgy may be postponed. We will not gather in the church.
- One household at a time may have access to the building for emergency restroom use. We encourage you not to need this.
- Entry to the lawn is through the north (church side) opening. Exit from the lawn is through the south (Adams Street) opening. Ushers will be on hand to take attendance (for contact tracing if necessary) and to ensure all members have masks.
- The lawn will be marked with chalk to indicate distanced zones for households. People may bring lawn chairs, but we will also have folding chairs and our usual kid chairs available. Once you’re in your zone, please make every effort to stay in it throughout the liturgy.
- Parents should evaluate whether their children will be able to maintain physical distance from other households/kids. We hope that recent practice on the playground will pay off at church, and that coming to church can remain a positive experience even with physical distancing. If frustration and tears seem like the most likely result of safety, remember that the service will be streaming online.
- All participants (clergy and people, adults and children) over the age of two must wear masks appropriately. The church has disposable masks available for anyone who needs one. Parents are the first line of monitoring this, but clergy and staff are prepared to help watch and enforce. (Please note that our disposable masks are adult-sized and may require some fidgeting to get to stay on a child.)
- While Wiggle Worship may have the usual guitar, we will not sing.
On the distribution of communion:
- We will use wafers, instead of bread.
- The priest will consume all of the priest host. The people’s bread will remain in a covered vessel throughout the prayer of consecration. At the time of the distribution, the people’s bread will be transferred without touch to individual patens (plates) for each household. The priest will then bring a plate of bread to each household, where the members of the household will distribute to each other. The priest will then collect the empty patens.
- In accord with an order from the bishop, wine will be consecrated but not distributed.
- There will be no assistants at the altar and we will not pass offering plates.
- Anyone who feels ill, or has someone in their household who is ill, should stay home and worship with us online. Anyone who is uncomfortable attending but would like an experience specific to the liturgy they usually attend should contact Father Eric, who will come to their yard to do Wiggle Worship or Rite 1, as appropriate.
- Coffee hour remains suspended. We know that people will be anxious to visit with each other after months apart, but especially at Wiggle Worship, we are concerned that the longer we hang out, the more kids’ physical distancing will break down. We encourage you to consider heading south a few blocks to Rehm Park to continue fellowship where there is more room to love each other from a safe distance.
