For more than a year, Epiphany’s 10:15 Sunday worship service has been “livestream only.” With the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines advancing rapidly, we are going to change that starting on Easter Sunday with in-person and Livestream worship for 10:15 and further changes continuing on following Sundays.
This means that we will be able to worship together three different ways on Sunday beginning on April 11, in-person at 8:30, and 10:15 and also via the video livestream at 10:15. Below are details on each of these options:
- 8:30am Sunday: In-Person worship. We will continue to practice social distancing and mask wearing. We are distributing the bread, but not wine for communion. We will have instrumental music, but no congregational singing. Sign-up required as space is limited to 56 congregation members. Sign up here for April Services.
- 10:15am Sunday: In-Person worship. We will continue to practice social distancing and mask
wearing. We are distributing the bread, but not wine for communion. We will have instrumental music, and two or three vocal pieces sung by our quartet, but no congregational singing as we begin. Sign-up required as space is limited to 56 congregation members. Initially we will not be able to offer children’s programming, nursery care, or after-church fellowship hour. Sign up here for April Services. - 10:15am Sunday: Livestream. We will continue to offer our livestream service as we have throughout the pandemic at www.livestream.com/epiphanyanglican. Because there will now be people worshipping at the church at 10:15, viewers will notice some changes in focus as the celebrant, readers, etc. work to lead the people present in the building with them, instead of speaking primarily to the cameras. They will also see worship leaders wearing masks when not preaching or reading.
Families with children are more than welcome to attend worship. We will be providing activities for younger kids while they sit with their parents. The Cry Room will be available on a first-come, first serve basis.
Friends, after more than a year of not being able to greet you at the door before worship begins at 10:15, I am excited about this step forward. As a church, we continue to do our best to balance the fundamental necessity of gathering together as a congregation for public worship, with our responsibilities toward our neighbors and our own health. I trust that each of us will prayerfully weigh our personal risk category, whether or not we have been vaccinated, and other relevant facts as we make decisions about returning to in-person worship. At the same time, know that by continuing our livestream, and keeping a close watch on the advice we receive from the authorities as well as other data, we will continue to do our best to act responsibly. We will make changes to what we are doing on Sundays if the status of the pandemic demands it.
God bless,
