Special Edition
Re-opening Guidance
As we observe memorial day it is a fitting time to be a bit more deliberate on remembering the price that has been paid for the liberties that we enjoy in our country. Regardless of personal political beliefs all of our service members who never made it out of uniform gave of themselves, honoring and defending all of us and our way of life. It is a fitting day to pray for their souls, to pray for their families, and to reflect on how we respond to their ultimate sacrifice for us. Thank you to all of those who lost their life so that we may live free; as scripture tells us, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for a friend." Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them. Amen.
Re-Opening General Guidance
It looks like all will be in place to resume our normal weekend and weekday schedules by this Saturday, May 30, beginning with the 4:30pm Mass. Yes, the full normal schedule, so 7am and 10am on Sunday as well. Also daily Mass will resume Tuesday through Friday at 8am.
Thank you so much to everyone that is working so hard to help our community prepare to gather as the Body of Christ again in a safe manner. To those trying to help line up ministers, those volunteering to clean, and to our ushers who have already attended a training, giving up part of their holiday weekend. It is good to be a member of a Christian community and brings hope to see us united together in mission!
Our ushers have been trained as our front line and essential workers. We want everyone to feel as if they are being welcomed by Christ and feel as if everything is being done to welcome them and keep them safe. Our ushers will be giving guidance to every one who enters the building. As we learn new habits for gathering, communion, and exiting the church please help these volunteers do all we can to make people feel safe and welcomed.
The Archbishop has continued the dispensation from the Sunday obligation and Holy Days of Obligation. However, many will want to respond to the saintly desire to hear the Living Word, receive the Eucharist, worship, and celebrate other Sacraments. Please know that if you are sick, have been sick, have been around someone who is sick, are a member of a vulnerable population, or are just not ready to attend mass gatherings yet, be at peace and stay home and stay safe. Each of us will make our own decisions in this matter.
What to expect upon returning:
For, at least the immediate future the following will help us all gather together safely.
- Please arrive early. Each person, couple, or family will be greeted by an usher and an usher will escort them to their space. Requests for your regular seat will be honored provided it is not in a closed pew and social distancing guidelines can be followed. Building occupancy will be approximately 1/3 of normal and this includes space that will be set up in the social hall with video, sound, and distribution of communion in that area.
- Doors will be open or ushers will open and close doors to limit contact of the handles.
- Ushers will seat each person, pointing out to them the signage along the bottom of the pews that indicate where people should stand when waiting to go to communion or exiting the church to maintain social distancing.
- Everyone will be asked to use hand sanitizer upon entering the building.
- Personal face masks are strongly encouraged. We understand that there are medical conditions that may make this difficult, as a result face masks will not be required, but other measures in place will help to keep us all safe. Individually wrapped masks will be available for purchase at the door for $2.
- Hymnals will be removed from all pews.
- Ushers will dismiss pews for communion. People should not exit their pew until the next stand here spot is open in the aisle.
- Eucharistic Ministers will sanitize their hands both before and after communion as well as be required to wear a mask. They will be instructed to get as close to your hands as possible without touching them, please be aware of this to prevent any possibility of the Blessed Sacrament falling to the ground.
- The communion procession must be single file. When receiving communion please pull your mask down as you approach and receive communion only in the hand at this time. If you are uncomfortable receiving communion at this time, that is fine. However, we will ask you to process in the communion line so that people do not have to brush by you as they exit and re enter the pew. You can simply follow the person ahead of you back to your pew.
- Although we will have music at as many of our liturgies as possible we will ask that you meditate upon the words and do not join in singing as this will force droplets and aerosols through your face mask and project them further. Regularly sung Mass parts such as the Gloria, Holy Holy, Great Amen, and Lamb of God will be spoken.
- At the end of Mass ushers will open all the doors. One usher will begin dismissing from the back and another usher will begin dismissing from the front. If you are being dismissed from the front please exit through the front side door, or, wait for the usher from the back to get up to you and then you may exit through the back main doors. Please be conscious of maintaining 6' of distance between you and the person ahead of you.
- When exiting please refrain from gathering in groups. I know it has been awhile since we have seen each other, and checking in with each other will be a welcome event. However, to maintain social distancing and an efficient flow please gather outside the building after exiting to say hello.
- Some people are generously donating their time to clean after each liturgy, wiping down pews, handles, and bathrooms. This will be a big and ongoing need. We would like to get enough people signed up to do this so that these volunteers will only need to do this about once a month. If we can get up to four people per liturgy it will go very quickly. Please use the sign up link below.
Look for these signs to help you:
Reminders on the doors and signage near the hand sanitizing stations.
This pew is closed to maintain social distancing and to give room for droplets that are expelled to fall.
These signs will be located along the bottom of pews to help with visual cues when entering the building, the communion procession, and exiting the building.