Reopening St. Paul’s to Public Worship
On March 13, 2020, as covid-19 was rapidly spreading throughout our community, St. Paul’s closed our doors to public worship. During these last several months, even though the physical doors of the church remained closed, St. Paul’s was never really closed. We continued in the mission and ministry of the church as best we could—by phone calls and emails, in Zoom prayer meetings, and Sunday worship streamed on Facebook. Even so, it has been a long and lonely season of distance. How hard it is to be the church that continues in the breaking of the bread and in the prayers, when necessity prevents us from gathering together to do so.
On June 28, 2020, St. Paul’s once again reopened our doors—slightly. While we wish that we could throw them wide open and welcome throngs of people into our church once again, we know that it would be irresponsible—indeed, uncharitable—to do so. We know the pandemic is not yet behind us, and the need to exercise an abundance of caution in our re-gathering. Our Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Daniel Gutiérrez, has released a thorough plan for return, to which St. Paul’s will adhere fully as we reopen. We will take every step slowly and cautiously, with the discipline of Christian charity as our lodestar. After all, the mandate of Christ will never be fulfilled by our demand to act however we please; it will only be kept if we have learned to love our neighbor as we love our self—and to love one another as Christ has loved us.
Therefore, until such a time as we can safely discard them, the following requirements will characterize our manner of in-person worship:
Everyone will be required to wear a mask.
Ushers will direct all attendees to their seats.
Attendees will maintain physical distance.
The congregation will refrain from singing.
Communion will be offered under the form of Bread only.
In order to ensure a safe level of attendance, advance registration will be required. Members of St. Paul’s will receive an invitation to register by email. Visitors: welcome! Please send us a message so we can prepare to welcome you to worship with us. All attendees will receive further instructions from us by email regarding safe practices and protocols during worship, so that we are all on the same page.
Even as our doors have reopened to in-person worship, we continue to live-stream the 10:00am Sunday mass. Go to our St. Paul’s Live page to learn more about worshiping with us online.
May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, be with us—today, and every day.
Yours in Christ,
The Rev. Daniel T. Moore
XXVII Rector, St. Paul’s Church