June 29, 2020

Dear Friends in Christ,

Good evening, I hope you all are well. I want to report that we celebrated another beautiful Sunday Mass at 12 pm in the church yesterday. While the liturgy was not hiccup-free, we welcomed 36 households representing 102 people (excluding the deacons, ushers, and me) and celebrated in a reverent and orderly manner. I am grateful that parishioners are taking seriously our health protocols in place for the benefit of our parish community and appreciate the cooperation of everyone to gather as safely as we can while still living amid the pandemic.

  

Our first Communion service that occurred at 3 pm yesterday for parishioners watching the online Mass also went smoothly, as we welcomed between 100 and 125 people to receive the Body of Christ in front of the church. The Contemporary Ensemble led a few musical selections during the Communion offering, which several parishioners said they appreciated. I will plan to offer Holy Communion from 3-3:30 pm every Sunday in front of church or in the Gathering Space, if the weather is inclement. I am truly glad that we have found a way to offer Communion to our parishioners who want to remain socially distanced and hope we can continue offering this service for as long as we offer an online Mass.

Now, that the weekend’s services are behind us, the Task Force to Reopen the Parish will meet tomorrow night to discuss how all of our services have gone and whether we should expand the number of Masses we offer next weekend. Once I make a final decision, the parish staff will then open online sign-up for Masses the weekend of July 4/5 at 5 pm Wednesday. Please watch your Flocknote messages for the online signup. If you know someone who would like to attend in-person Mass and is not on Flocknote, please encourage them to sign up for Flocknote on the homepage of our web site or to call the Parish Office to register for this weekend’s Mass. Thanks for your cooperation in making sure we can still manage the reduced capacity of our church during the county’s Phase 2 reopening but still offer Mass to those who would like to attend.

Lastly, I did want to emphasize that if you have been exposed to anyone who has COVID-19 or might have COVID-19,  if you are feeling ill, or are experiencing any cold or fever symptoms to please consider your fellow parishioners and stay home from Mass. Offering an in-person Mass is a tenuous balance and relies upon every parishioner’s communal consideration of his or her brothers and sisters who are also attending Mass. I know many of you yearn to return to Mass, but we must continue doing so in a responsible way and out of consideration for all of those in attendance.

I thank you all for your patience, generosity, and love for Jesus Christ during this time that we slowly reopen our parish. May God keep all of us safe and healthy!

Have a blessed and wonderful week!

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John