From the Rector
Earlier in the week, Caitlyn sent an email to our worship leaders and volunteers titled "The Big Email." It was an update on our ambitious plans for worship in the upcoming months. If I had to title this E-Messenger, I would steal from Caitlyn's title and call this E-Messenger "The Big One."
First, as you have heard, I will begin teaching confirmation classes this Sunday after the 5 p.m. service. Youth are required to come with an adult mentor. It can be a parent, it can be a Godparent, an older sibling, a close and trusted friend. In short, the requirement is that they do the classes together and that each person comes with an open and inquiring heart. We have a few people who have volunteered to be mentors. Parents, if you would like to have your child paired up with a confirmation mentor, feel free to reach out. I would like, if possible, to do meals at these gatherings, so please email the Parish Office if you intend to come so we can get an accurate headcount. Note: I envision six weeks of confirmation classes beginning this Sunday. There will be a two-week break with no classes on Palm Sunday or Easter Sunday. I am excited to offer these classes to 9th graders and above. We will meet outside in the Amphitheater area (the space between The Commons and the gym). Bring blankets or chairs, something to sit on. Classes will last about an hour. Also, if youth who have been confirmed would like to come be a part of the classes, and help with set up, take down, and mentoring, they are more than welcome! Physical distancing and mask protocols are expected.
Second, changes in our worship schedule and format are happening. After meeting with the re-opening committee yesterday, it was decided that starting this Sunday, the 8 a.m. service will move from outside on the Point to inside the sanctuary. We request that those who attend this service have been vaccinated. As of now, I do not think a reservation system will be needed, but should we fill, this may be revisited. Pews will be marked, communion protocols will be a little different than you are used to. Masks are to be worn and physical distancing is expected. At the end of the service, we ask that people who want to visit do so outside. The 10 a.m. live stream will continue. The 5 p.m. outside service will also continue.
Third, Children's Chapel will soon begin during the 5 p.m. service. Caitlyn is working with volunteers to help. If interested, please let her know. Under diocesan guidelines, we can do this outside. We are looking at using the Memorial Garden and perhaps the Amphitheater spaces for this. Like usual, children will join their parents for communion after chapel.
Fourth, Holy Week. The push for Holy Week will largely be to host in-person worship opportunities. There will be live streams of services and some services will be pre-recorded premieres. On Palm Sunday, we will have the 8 a.m. indoor service, 10 a.m. live stream service, and the 5 p.m. outside service. At 5 p.m. we expect to do a full Procession of the Palms with music. This will lead us into Holy Week with outdoor Maundy Thursday services at 6 p.m. and outdoor Good Friday at noon. Following our Anglican tradition, the church will shut down after the noon Good Friday service and the passion narrative is complete. For safety, we have a volunteer, Jose Cotto, who has volunteered to be at the church over the night of Maundy Thursday so late-night visitors to the chapel for our prayer vigil will not need to worry about being alone. The labyrinth will be set up in the gym for people to walk and pray.
EASTER SUNDAY!!!! Easter Sunday services will be at 8 and 10:30 a.m. We are praying for good weather because both services will be outside. Our numbers are simply too great to do an indoor Easter Service. At 10:30 a.m., a virtual Easter service will also be offered.
Following Easter Sunday, we will return to having services at 8 (indoor) and 10:30 a.m. (outdoor). We hope to have the capability to live stream at least one of the services for the indefinite future. The 5 p.m. service is also here to stay. For the spring, that service will continue to be outside. With the summer heat, it will eventually move indoors.
A note about all services. All services will continue to respect, support, and require masks and physical distancing. While I long to give hugs at the Peace, that is just not going to happen. Communion will also continue to look different. It will remain in one kind and we will not be kneeling at the altar rail anytime soon. We as a church cannot and should not dictate who gets vaccinated; this is a question of personal liberty. With that being said, we ask that non-vaccinated people attend outside and/or virtual services until they have been vaccinated and have followed the CDC guidelines for waiting until the vaccination has taken effect. This is for the safety of all. I personally see this as how we can love our neighbors as ourselves.
Finally, to do all that we have planned, we will need prayer, volunteers and evangelism. Into the future, our 5 p.m. service has the opportunity to become all sorts of things ... It is a service that could be youth led, have contemporary music and/or a preaching series. It can be what we make it. Into the future, all of our services will need your support. To the 250 plus people who have watched all of our YouTube services, THANK YOU! To the 70 to 80 who have made outside worship special, unique, and fun, THANK YOU! As more and more people are vaccinated (over half of the population of South Carolina is 55 and above), we will continue to creatively seek to worship, love, and serve the Lord. I encourage you to safely participate in the format that is best for you. I also ask you to invite others into our worship experiences. St. Martin's is a special and safe community with room for all who want and desire to engage it.
In Christ,
Mitch+