Friends,

At the beginning of the pandemic, the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey established a commission of priests and lay leaders including an epidemiologist that has lead this group, Philip G. Lewis, M.D., M.P.H. Dr. Lewis received his Doctor of Medicine from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and is Adjunct Faculty and Leader, Environmental Health and Risk Assessment Module Occupational Medicine Residency, at the University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine. He has also been faculty, in the Division of Occupational Medicine, at The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Hygiene and Public Health. He has lead this group of people that have had an incredibly difficult job over the last 14 months or so—making recommendations to the bishop to issue to us to keep everyone safe. 

Yesterday, this commission relaxed many of the protocols that we’ve been working under since we reopened last June.

In accordance with the guidance from the CDC, masks are now optional for those who are vaccinated. Those who aren’t vaccinated are encouraged to wear a mask. Those who ARE vaccinated may still choose to wear a mask, for any reason. We will not be asking the general congregation about their vaccination status. Vaccines are widely available at this time in our area—but if you need help making an appointment, we are very willing to help you.

We will no longer be requiring social-distance at the church. We will be removing almost all of the red ribbons in the church which have marked out socially-distant seating. We will leave two areas in the church for those who choose, for whatever reason, to socially distance. (If those areas are “empty” in the next few weeks, we’ll remove those too.)

We will be moving the Prayer Books, Bibles, and Hymnals back into the pew racks for your use. (This weekend, the bulletin will still be fully online. We’re trying to figure out what to do with bulletins right now.)

As we’ve already started—we are no longer asking anyone to pre-register for a regular weekend service. (Some funerals and other functions might still require registration.)

As we’ve already started—there will continue to be sung music—including congregational hymn singing—at the 10AM service.

We will continue as we did prior to the pandemic, to stream our services. Streaming on YouTube and Facebook have made our services available to people who are home bound, those who are traveling, and for friends of St Mark’s who live far away. Our online footprint will continue to evolve, but I hope to see it only grow.

The Common Cup is still not authorized for use in the Diocese of New Jersey, and so for the time being, we will still be offering Communion in one-kind (Bread). As soon as the Diocesan Committee and the Bishop release us from this restriction, we will be offering it again.

Because our soloists and choir members and readers have to “project” their voices to a greater degree, we are asked by the Diocese to have a record of vaccination for them to read or sing without a mask.

As we are all aware, different people have had, and continue to have, wildly divergent “comfort levels” in regards to this pandemic. Some are immuno-compromised, or live with someone who is. Some cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. I imagine that the relaxing of these protocols will be cause for concern or nervousness for some. If this is you, please let me know. I’m more than happy to find a way to help you feel secure, even if it means adding in an extra service with more protocols or visiting you at home. (My email: rmcmorley@me.com)

This pandemic disrupted life in every country on the globe. It’s been some of the hardest and strangest months to minister to a church community. I’m thankful to God that we are nearing the end of this nightmare, and I’m thankful to all of you for your vigilance, your generosity, your faithfulness, and for the wonderful ways that you all have loved your neighbor as Jesus taught us to do—every day. Thank you.

Fr Rick