Fran Berry, Head Verger
In last year’s annual report, I used a baseball analogy for how Christ Church dealt with the COVID pandemic. This year football seems to offer a better analogy. Most Christ Church Worship Ministries were still “sidelined” at the start of 2021. Throughout the year we began making headway in reinstating certain ministries, but the COVID pandemic was, is, and continues to be a tough opponent.
At the beginning of 2021 we continued offering in-person worship services, but with registration requirements and restricted congregation size. Pews were taped off to maintain social distancing, and congregants were asked to wear masks for the entire service, sanitize their hands upon entry, and leave the building as soon as the service ended. Although there was no Greeter Ministry at this time, Vergers reported getting to know more parishioners due to checking in registrants upon their arrival.
The 10:30 worship service continued to be live-streamed with portions of the service pre-recorded, i.e., scripture readings, Nicene Creed, and Prayers of the People that engaged individuals and families who were unable or uncomfortable in attending in-person worship. Videos of baptisms allowed us to reaffirm our own baptismal vows while celebrating with families at such a blessed and joyous occasion.
In January in-person Lectors were reinstated at the 8:00 service, and we expanded the Family service from only ZOOM to an in-person service on the first Sunday of each month. As we moved into Lent in mid-February, our Ash Wednesday service was pre-recorded and broadcast at 7 AM, 12 PM, and 7 PM with the distribution of ashes and Communion in the east parking lot at 8 AM, 1 PM, and 8 PM. We continued to follow CDC guidelines looking forward to expanding registration for in-person worship on Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and Easter.
While the number of registrants continued to be limited to numbers less than previous in-person Holy Week services, recordings of parishioners waving palms as well as palm processions from around the world enlarged and enhanced our vision of Palm Sunday worship. The reading of the Passion was pre-recorded with members of the parish socially distanced in the choir loft yet able to deliver a meaningful interpretation of Jesus’s trial before Pilate and crucifixion. Our “Way of the Cross” service was also pre-recorded interspersed with photos of “stations” from around the world. Videos of Christ Church families washing each other’s feet for the Maundy Thursday service were impactful since no in-person foot washing would occur.
The Virtual Prayer Vigil at the Altar of Repose allowed people to register for time slots throughout the night without leaving their homes. The in-person Good Friday services (noon and youth-led at 7 PM) were live-streamed.
Our plans for Easter 2021 included a pre-recorded “full-blown” Easter morning broadcast at 10:30 AM. Four, in-person, 30-minute “A Taste of Easter” services were held that morning at 8, 9, 10, and 11 AM. Given that the broadcasted service was recorded weeks earlier, our Flower Guild decorated the Chancel with spring flowers in the middle of Lent, put them all away, replaced the Lenten decorations, while planning the actual Easter decorations for later installation. Congratulations to Betsy Welty and her team for an amazing job well done!
Although registration was still required along with mask-wearing, our COVID vaccination survey results indicated the vast majority of Christ Church parishioners were vaccinated resulting in our decision to increase the number of Sunday morning attendees and loosening some of our social-distancing requirements. In addition, we began planning for a celebratory September 12th “Kick-Off” — games, food truck, Treasureland involvement, the choir’s return, a full slate of fall offerings, etc. However, COVID “sacked us” with a congregational outbreak requiring us to cancel not only church services for two weeks but also the “kick-off”.
Undeterred we continued expanding worship ministry involvement with in-person Lectors and Prayer Leaders at both services, full Acolyte teams at 10:30, and five, two-person teams of Ushers for both 8:00 and 10:30 worship services. We were back on the “playing field”, but always aware of local, state, and national safety guidelines. We continued our drive-through distribution of Communion after the 10:30 service, and most recently were given permission by the Diocese to use our trained Eucharistic Visitors (EV) for that ministry. (EVs had been on hiatus due to concerns about homebound parishioners in ill health and the specter of bringing COVID into their homes or senior living facilities.)
Our All Saints Sunday was a glorious morning with six in-person baptisms at the 10:30 service. We had plans in place for Christmas services: shortened at 2 and 4 PM, live-streamed at 7 PM with full choir and all the “bells and whistles”. The Flower Guild began installing Advent decorations with all plans in place for Christmas. And then…. our quarterback, Fr. Terry, was blind-sided and needed to quarantine at home. We went forward with our Christmas Eve services, but under another mask mandate, hopefully, our last.
Christ Church is blessed with an all-star line-up of clergy, staff, and volunteers. A rotational schedule was established for preaching assignments, enlisting the assistance of lay preachers as well as other clergies. Fr. Terry recorded a general welcome to begin the services, readings of New Testament passages, as well as Prayers of the People for inclusion in specific worship services. He records his sermons at home, the first being for Christmas Eve.
At this point, Christ Church Worship Ministries have survived, but have taken a serious hit. We have fewer volunteers for each ministry and are yet to reinstate Chalice Bearers, Side Altar Prayer, and a Welcome Ministry that will include Greeters. Our Flower Guild is restructuring and looking for volunteers as well as the Usher, Prayer Leader, and Lector ministries. Our music ministry has been reduced to a few talented singers due to spacing requirements for non-masked participants. Our hope and prayer is that 2022 will take us into the future with renewed energy and commitment to expand all ministries at Christ Church, not only those affiliated with worship.
Respectfully Submitted,
Fran Berry, Head Verger