Re-Opening on Pentecost
Dear Beloved Members of Christ Church Anglican,
I am happy to announce that beginning on May 31st, Pentecost Sunday, Christ Church Anglican will begin to meet in larger groups once again. In order to take the necessary precautions required by our current season while allowing for a fuller worship life together, we will hold two services on Sunday morning. The first service will take place at 8 am, and the second will take place at 10 am. Through the summer, the services will be identical liturgically and musically. While it is an enormous blessing to be able to once again gather in groups larger than 10, there will be a few notable differences between our services this summer and our services before our time apart. Please note the following:
□ We aim to maintain social distancing during our services, meaning we will only fill up to one-quarter of our space. In order to do this, we ask that you once again sign up for a slot in either the 8 am or 10 am service. You can sign-up for services here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040a4cacab28a3ff2-small. We will continue to block-off every other pew in order to ensure we are keeping a proper distance, but ask that you also be mindful of how much space you are allowing between yourself and others in and around your pew. You very well may be unable to sit in your “usual” pew, and that is okay, you may even need to move to the front! Please keep in mind as you sit that, though you may not be concerned about being further than six feet from someone, they may be; and ensure that you are creating distance between yourself and others.
□ Perhaps the greatest difference between our worship before and our return to worship together on Pentecost is my request that no one other than our paid singers sing during the services. Research suggests that singing is an efficient way to spread viruses, so for the time being I am asking that only Jessica and Matt Flora sing during our hymns and our service music. This may be welcome news for some and unwelcome news for others, and I thank you ahead of time for not singing right now, as difficult as that is for many of us.
□ During liturgical and sacramental times that require us to violate some social distancing guidelines, any clergy or assistants will be required to wear masks. We continue to suspend the physical passing of the peace and the passing of the plate during the offertory and will have a different protocol for the reception of communion to be explained at the services.
□ For those who are uncomfortable worshipping with so many others at this time, the clergy and staff are willing to continue offering one or two “small Eucharist” services during the week, which will also require using a sign-up system. Please reach out to me, or to the office, if you would like to take advantage of a smaller service.
□ Additionally, we will continue to record services for those parishioners who remain homebound and unable to attend physically. This means that we will have recording equipment in our sanctuary during one of the Sunday morning services. Please remember that it is for the sake of those who cannot be with us that we have it there, while it may seem like a nuisance. We are more than happy to bring the Eucharist to those who cannot gather with us as well, in order to connect them to our sacramental life together.
□ If you or someone in your household is sick or has been sick recently, please do not come to church, even if you have signed up for a time slot.
□ If you attend the 8 am service, please exit the sanctuary promptly so that we can begin sanitizing the space for the 10 am service.
□ Please see the Governor’s recommendations for houses of worship for further guidance, including those regarding face masks: https://azgovernor.gov/sites/default/files/guidance_for_places_of_worship.pdf.
□ For further information regarding social distancing, quarantining, and home-isolation, follow this link from Maricopa County: https://www.maricopa.gov/5492/Additional-Resources
□ Finally, please reach out to me, Bishop Mark, one of the wardens, or a member of the vestry with any questions or concerns you may have.
I cannot express my gratitude for God’s continued remaining with us through this time, for your commitment to CCA and one another over the past few months, and for the wonderful gift of being able to worship together again, very soon. Remember to WEAR RED for Pentecost!
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Matt