Celebrating Together Again
Dear friends,
I am happy to share good news – our Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Craig Loya, has decided to allow churches to have outdoor services and meetings! Although we are still unable to gather inside the building, we can now meet outside, provided that we follow the recommended health and safety protocols. Therefore, starting on Sunday, July 5th, and until further notice, we will have a Sunday 10AM worship service on the lawn between our parking lot and the west side of the building. This is the first step toward restoring communal worship and fellowship at St. Alban’s. As with any change, it will require adaptation and a willingness to do things a bit differently as we move forward, so I ask for your goodwill and cooperation as we progress into this next phase of church life in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
Some General Points to Note:
Attendance at this outdoor service is voluntary. While gathering outdoors is less risky than meeting indoors, everyone should decide what is the best course of action for themselves and their household. We will continue to prepare and send out the Order of Service for Use at Home, and the weekly Gospel and Sermon will still be posted on our website.
For this coming Sunday, July 5th, please print out a copy of the Order of Service for Use at Home and bring it (or your tablet/electronic device) to follow along. We will have a limited number of printed service bulletins for those who cannot do this.
The service will not take place if it rains, or if the forecast indicates that rain is likely. (We cannot use the church as backup due to current restrictions).
Please plan to arrive no later than 9:50AM, in order that we can find our places to sit.
Please bring a lawn chair and/or blanket, and maintain social distancing (the 6 foot rule).
As we cannot serve refreshments, please bring a water bottle if needed. Dress comfortably for the weather; summer casual clothing is appropriate.
Please bring and wear a face mask.
Unfortunately, we cannot have singing or physical touch, but we can express our love for God and one another with words and gestures.
We look forward to being able to celebrate Holy Communion at this service in the future as the ECMN refines its protocols on outdoor worship.
I know that these instructions may sound restrictive, but they are necessary to comply with current state and ECMN regulations. I encourage us all to focus on the positive aspect of this new phase of church life, and to rejoice that we can finally come together again as the Body of Christ at St. Alban’s!
See you on the west-facing lawn outside Church.
Rev. John Peters, Rector