A New Phase in Worship
April 25, 2022
Dear Friends,
“The times are a changing” - again! With a change in season, comes a change to our pandemic restrictions as per the recent updates from Bonnie Henry and the Diocese. Change is hard. It has taken all of us a long time to adjust to a restricted way of living and it will be hard and an adjustment for us to change again to less restrictions. I rejoice that we are able to enter into a new phase of the pandemic that allows for greater flexibility and choice. I am grateful for our health care workers and all who have worked tirelessly and faithfully to care for the sick and the dying. This has been a long haul and while we can enjoy greater freedom and choice, we are reminded every day that the pandemic is not over and is here to stay.
Bishop John has written to us to describe in more detail what this new phase means for us as a parish and diocese. His letter can be found here.
At All Saints, as we live into this new phase more fully, I am pleased to announce that effective immediately:
1) There are no capacity limits for worship. This applies to both vaccinated and unvaccinated persons. This applies for worship only. Vaccination is still required for the foreseeable future for community meals, parish events and social gatherings.
2) Masks are no longer mandatory for worship. I ask that you continue to respect the choice of others who may still elect to wear a mask.
3) Offertory. We will continue to receive our offerings via the collection plates located at the front and back of the church and via our online platforms such as PAD and the website. The offering plates will be brought forward after the Peace and during the Offertory hymn.
4) Singing and full participation in the liturgy is encouraged by all with or without a mask.
Effective April 8 onward
1) For the foreseeable future, we will continue to share the Peace with our current practices. These being, remaining in our pew and acknowledging one another with our hands together in a posture of prayer/thanksgiving or peace. There are many people who remain uncomfortable with physical contact and thus we need to be more cautious in how and when we introduce any further change to this practice.
2) Communion and the Common Cup. As I have indicated earlier, we will have a more wholesome conversation as a parish community about our theology and practice of receiving communion. This conversation will take place after the 10am worship service on Sunday April 3. It is my hope that following this conversation we will be ready to re-introduce Communion in both bread and wine effective Maundy Thursday, April 14.
Adjusting and pivoting to this new phase of pandemic living is going to take time and patience. I want to thank all of you who have responded in good faith to the measures and changes to our pattern of life and worship thus far. Our church is different now and so too is our pattern of worship. Practices that we once took for granted require careful thought and a redefining of our common beliefs and understandings. This will take time for all of us. Yet, God continues to speak to us in and through these changes and so I pray for your continued patience as we learn, pivot, and adapt together once more.
In Christ,
The Reverend Robin Ruder-Celiz