21st November 2020
Dear Friends,
As you probably know, tomorrow is our last Sunday for in-person worship before the city goes into its second lockdown this year. Lockdown 2.0 is to last 28 days (and possibly longer), and it will affect us in much the same way as we were affected in the spring. The church will be closed to in-person worship, beginning midnight tomorrow. Thanks to the many of you who have been coming to church since we reopened on September 13th. It was a blessing to be in the presence of parishioners and share the Eucharist. It was also a vote of confidence to know that so many people felt secure and comfortable with the safety protocols that were put in place.
As of November 29th, the First Sunday of Advent, we will be meeting online for a single worship service. As mandated by the Province and our Bishop, this means the allotted ten people will be comprised of clergy, musicians and technicians, necessary livestreaming. We will therefore record from the church, even though no parishioners will be there. Combining elements of both our 9:15am and 10:30am liturgies, we intend to offer you a wonderful worship experience at home. So please tune in next Sunday at 9:15am to worship, with a Zoom Coffee Hour immediately following at 10:15am. The links for both these events will be sent to you in a few days.
The essential services that Christ Church Deer Park provides to the hungry and the addicted will be allowed to continue but with the same restriction that we have for worship: only ten people present, masked, and physically distant.
Worshipping from home is not what any of us want; we long to be with each other, but the pandemic is taking its toll. We can suppress its power by staying at home. “While we make these decisions with sadness, there is also hope. May our efforts to contain this disease help to protect each other and gladden God’s heart with our acts of care.” (Bishop Andrew Asbil)
Many blessings to you as we enter a very different Advent and Christmas season.
