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You are here: Home / Archives for covid-19

covid-19

Imagine: What Will In-person Worship Look Like?

March 31, 2021 by St. George's Leave a Comment

Regathering indoors during the COVID-19 pandemic: what will it be like?

Worship indoors, at least until the pandemic subsides significantly, will be different than we are used to. We will still glorify God, hear God’s word proclaimed and preached, pray for ourselves and the world, make offerings, participate in the mystery of the sacrament of Christ’s body, and be sent forth in the name of Christ. We wanted to share a little bit more about what the experience might be like. You can also view some helpful guidelines here.

Imagine…

You have arrived at church on a beautiful morning. Approaching the front steps you see a line of people on the sidewalk spaced six feet apart, all wearing face coverings. If it were raining heavily you would enter through Sydnor Hall on the lower level where a spaced line would form indoors. You noticed another parishioner in a wheelchair entering through Sydnor Hall today to access the elevator. An usher greets you with a friendly wave and invites you to join the line.

When an usher in the narthex waves you inside, you stop at the welcome table where a greeter asks if you pre-registered. You did not register this time, but thankfully we still have room. The greeter takes your name and contact information for contact tracing if needed. They ask you a few health screening questions. You truthfully answer “no” to all of them and head into the nave, stopping to sanitize your hands. You see some bulletins on the table but decide to use your electronic tablet to find the bulletin online.

Another usher is ready to escort you to a pew which is three pews behind the last person who came in. “Can’t I sit in my usual pew?” you ask. The usher reminds you that we are seating people from front to back as they arrive so that we can avoid additional path crossings and confusion. Most of the pew doors are closed as spacer pews. You notice some tape on the pew seat marking a zone where you should sit. Some pews have people sitting together who came together. Others are singles.

Before sitting down, you decide to make a bathroom visit. This requires timing your movement so as not to cross with someone else in the aisle (next time you’ll go before you are seated). You wait until the usher at the top of the stairs in the narthex tells you it’s clear, then you visit one of the restrooms downstairs, leaving the nave-level handicap accessible bathrooms available for that person in the wheelchair. Taking a sanitizing cloth from the container provided, you give a quick wipe of surfaces you may come into contact with. Afterwards you remember to put the cloth in the trash, not down the toilet.

Back at your pew, you sit down and notice the lack of a cushion, as they have all been removed to make sanitizing easier between services. Next time you might bring something soft to sit on. One of the clergy welcomes everyone while facing a camera which is set up in the front of the nave to share the service online. The clergy person reminds those present that only the choir will be singing the hymns, but please hum along while keeping your face covering on throughout the service. The service begins, and you are glad to be here.

At the Peace you wave to others instead of shaking hands. At the offertory you reach for your wallet but then remember you saw the offering plate near the entrance. Instead of having to remember to give afterwards, you decide to make an online donation through the website.

At communion, you wait until the usher invites you forward to receive the Body of Christ (just the bread, not the wine). Along your way you see a hand sanitizer pump and help yourself. Using the tape marks on the floor, you can stay distanced in line. You approach the priest on your side of the church who drops a wafer into your hand without making contact. You hold it carefully and wait to consume it until you are back in your seat and can remove your mask briefly to have a reverent moment with the Body of Christ.

After the final hymn you stay seated until an usher dismisses your pew. You close your pew door so that it can be sanitized afterward. Then you walk out, keeping distance using the tape marks, through the closest of the three front doors. You avoid gathering in groups but instead wave and say farewell to friends as you Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Filed Under: Adult Formation, News Blog, Parish Life, We Grow, Welcome, Worship Tagged With: covid-19, worship

In-person Worship Guidelines

March 31, 2021 by St. George's Leave a Comment

We are excited to worship together in-person again! Our worship time will look and feel a bit different. Below is some helpful information and instructions so we can all come together safely.

If you have a question, please contact the church office or ask one of our ushers at the service.

Update – May 12, 2022:

Masks required for the 9 am Sunday worship service. This service typically has our highest attendance and also many families with young children who are not old enough to be vaccinated.

Masks are highly recommended (especially while singing) at our other worship services.

General:

  • Worship from home if you are ill, experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, are a caregiver for someone who is ill, or have been in contact with someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days
  • Use hand sanitizer (available at hand sanitizer stations)
  • Follow instructions from ushers and greeters

Worship:

  • Digital bulletins (via QR code) available to view on your tablet or mobile phone. We will have a limited number of hard copy bulletins available.
  • Ushers will direct you to a pew / seat. We seat people from front to back. This helps us maximize the number of people we can seat and minimize path crossings.
  • You can “pass the peace” by waving to others instead of shaking hands
  • Offering baskets are not passed during the service. Instead, they are in a designated spot for you to place your gifts before or after the service. Ushers will point them out to you.

Communion:

  • Ushers will invite you forward to receive the Body of Christ (just the bread, not the wine)
  • Use the hand sanitizer available prior to receiving.
  • Maintain social distancing
  • Clergy will drop a wafer in your hands without making contact. Please wait to consume it until you are back at your seat. You may remove your mask briefly to consume the wafer.

Dismissal:

  • Please wait for an usher to dismiss your pew / row.
  • If seated in a pew, please close the door behind you so that it can be sanitized afterward.
  • Maintain social distancing and please avoid gathering in groups
  • Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!

Filed Under: Adult Formation, Fellowship, News Blog, Parish Life, Pastoral Care, Rector's Blog, We Serve, Welcome, Worship Tagged With: covid-19, guidelines, instructions, worship

Holy Week 2020 – Distance Worship

April 1, 2020 by St. George's Leave a Comment

Although COVID-19 may keep us from gathering in person, we will come together via internet and phone to celebrate the resurrection of Christ and the hope that is Easter.

We invite you to join us for any or all of our worship services listed below. We are also including additional home resources for personal or household reflection.

Sunday, April 5, 2020 – Palm Sunday

9 am – Children’s Forum via Zoom Conference Call – Director of Children and Youth Formation Hecti Musa will lead a session on creating a cross out of natural materials. Contact Hecti for conference call information.

10 am – Adult forum led by Jennifer Vaughan and the Rev. Areeta D. Bridgemohan on spiritual practices to ground us in the epidemic season and what Holy Week at St. George’s will look like this year via Zoom Conference Call . Visit https://zoom.us/j/392738239 or dial 929.205.6099 and enter the meeting ID: 392 738 239. The meeting password is: 107758. Click here for the Daily Spiritual Practices Handout which includes a link to the “Praise Song for the Pandemic” that Pastor Areeta shared.

11:15 am – We will host a Facebook Live Watch Party of the National Cathedral service. Visit our Facebook page to watch the worship service with other St. Georgians.

A special invitation to celebrate Palm Sunday: We encourage you to collect some sign of life, hope, growth, or renewal from your home or neighborhood this week: a flower blossom; a small branch from a tree with plenty to spare; a leaf or sprig or frond from a houseplant. These will be the branches we raise for a blessing, and to celebrate the triumph of life in Christ and our ever-present hope of his return. Or hang them on your front door.

5 pm – Hecti Musa will lead a youth group check-in and stations of the cross via Zoom conference call. Contact Hecti for conference call information.

5:30 pm – Join us for Celtic Evensong with the Palm Sunday Gospel. The service will include music and a meditation by our Rector the Rev. Joseph H. Hensley, Jr. Join the service via Facebook Live or Zoom Conference Call. Visit https://zoom.us/j/360453043 or dial 929.205.6099 and enter meeting ID: 360 453 043. The meeting password is: 548452.

 

Tuesday, April 7, 2020 – Tuesday of Holy Week

Gently open your heart and find some moments of peaceful reflection with a video of our sung Compline service. Click here to watch the video. We will also have a Facebook Live watch party on Tuesday at 8 pm – join us via our Facebook page to watch and worship with other St. Georgians!

Introduction and Welcome

Our Rector, the Rev. Joseph H. Hensley, Jr. has prepared this video as an introduction to our Holy Week resources for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Great Vigil of Easter.

 

Thursday, April 9, 2020 – Maundy Thursday

Have your household share an Agape Meal as part of your Maundy Thursday worship. We will provide an adapted liturgy for use at home at supper time as well as musical offerings. Share photos of your fellowship time on Facebook and tag St. George’s (@stgeorgesfxbg)! Click here for the adapted liturgy.

Here are the video links for at-home worship:
Hymn WLP 764: Taste and See

Hymn WLP 729: As in the that upper room

Homily by the Rev. David P. Casey, O.P.

 

Friday, April 10, 2020 – Good Friday

Experience the Good Friday liturgy by watching a video of the liturgy led by our clergy as well as a sermon by our Rector, the Rev. Joseph H. Hensley, Jr. Click here for the video. You can view the service leaflet here.

Additionally, Micah Ecumenical Ministries will host an online service. Visit their Facebook page for more information.

Through the years many Episcopalians traditionally donate the Good Friday Offering to the four dioceses of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East to express their support for their ministries in the birthplace of our faith. The generous donations of Episcopalians help the Christian presence in the Land of the Holy One to be a vital and effective force for peace and understanding among all of God’s children. Click here to share your gift.

 

Saturday, April 11, 2020 – Holy Saturday

5 pm – Director of Children and Youth Ministry, Hecti Musa, and our Director of Children and Youth Choirs, Robin Roberson, will lead a Children’s Easter Vigil liturgy via Zoom Conference call. Contact Hecti for conference call information. You can view the service leaflet here.

For at home worship of the ancient service of the Easter Vigil, we have videos of music (including the Exsultet chanted by Director of Music Ministries John Vreeland) and a sermon by Priest Associate the Rev. Robert M. Miller.  Please click here for the service leaflet.

Here are the video links for at-home worship:

Exsultet (Chanted)

Hymn – Go down Moses

Homily by the Rev. Robert M. Miller

Hymn – Now the green blade riseth

We hope you enjoy this video which include music by the Choirs of St. Georges and images of flowers by our Flower Guild from previous Easter celebrations, photos of worship, and of course – our Annual Easter Egg Hunt!

 

Sunday, April 12, 2020 – Easter Sunday

Our Easter offering will go to a local organization providing resources to our community during the COVID-19 pandemic. We invite your gifts via our online giving portal (select “Easter Offering” from the dropdown menu). Thank you for your loving generosity!

6:30 am – Micah Ecumenical Ministries will live stream a Sunrise Service via Facebook Live.

9 am – Hecti Musa will lead a children’s Easter formation discussion and fun Easter craft via Zoom Conference Call. Contact Hecti for conference call information.

10 am – Our Rector, the Rev. Joseph H. Hensley, Jr., will offer an Easter greeting and lead a formation discussion via Zoom Conference call. Visit https://zoom.us/j/392738239 or dial 929.205.6099 and enter the meeting ID: 392 738 239. The meeting password is: 107758.

11:15 am – We will host a Facebook Live Watch Party of the National Cathedral service. Visit our Facebook page to watch the worship service with other St. Georgians.

5 pm – Hecti Musa will leavd a youth group check-in and reflection via Zoom conference call. Contact Hecti for conference call information.

5:30 pm – Join us for Celtic Evensong. The service will include music and a meditation by our Associate Rector the Rev. Areeta D. Bridgemohan. Join the service via Facebook Live or Zoom Conference Call. Visit https://zoom.us/join or dial 929.205.6099 and enter meeting ID: 430 593 155. The meeting password is: 925557. Click here for the service leaflet.

Please note that our office is closed on Easter Monday, April 13, 2020 and Tuesday, April 14, 2020.

Filed Under: Fellowship, Ministries, News Blog, Parish Life, Pastoral Care, We Serve, Welcome, Worship Tagged With: covid-19, distance worship, Easter, fellowship, pandemic, worship

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