News concerning the spread of COVID-19 continues to fill our inboxes, to dominate our media, and to occupy our conversations, but our response as Orthodox Christians though remains ever the same: while we heed the advice of our health care providers, (who help us to mitigate the risks to our families and our greater communities), we do not succumb to fear. Rather, we remain always: ever hopeful, grace-filled, loving and faithful, based upon the teachings, beliefs, and practices of our great Orthodox Christian faith.
Resiliency is in our Christian DNA. Christ, who is our Life, our Hope and our Consolation, has never abandoned His Church. Not during its many persecutions, nor theological upheavals, nor during times of illnesses or diseases. The Martyrs, as well holy men and women in each and every generation, have testified to this truth in their lives, to us, as will do so as well to the faithful who are yet to come. The Church will always be a beacon of every good gift unto humanity and all of creation, a creation mind you, which is always in need of grace and redemption. To put this into plain language: Christ is and will ever remain the good Physician, the Church is His hospital, the Sacraments are His Medicine, and we the faithful, are both His appointed care providers, as well as being His patients too.
With this in mind; having received directives from local health care providers, both in and outside our parish, as well as from fellow clergy throughout the region, we will be implementing the following procedures:
1. We will continue to pray services.
2. In order to reduce the risk of exposure, while continuing to provide the Sacraments as well, we will be shifting to two Liturgies on Sunday for the time being. Orthros will begin at 7:45AM, followed by the first liturgy. A second Liturgy will begin at 10:30AM (memorial services will be prayed at the close of this Liturgy).
3. At the close of every service, will we ask for intercessory healing through prayers offered to our Lord, the Theotokos and the Saints.
4. We will continue to take appropriate steps to ensure the wellbeing of our parishioners by:
a. Regularly disinfecting all surfaces (including icons), doors, chairs, etc.… before and after services.
b. Removing some seats from the church to create more personal space during worship.
c. Asking that you only bow in front of the icons to express your love of the Lord, the Theotokos and the Saints.
d. Providing hand sanitizer in key spots around the church.
e. Administering the Holy Eucharist in the usual and sacred manner.
f. Not passing the offering tray at the end of service. Instead, there will be baskets in the Narthex after services so that you can continue to support our ministries.
g. Suspending the serving of snacks and food in the fellowship hall.
h. Suspending ALL studies and meetings at the Parish to limit the spread of the virus.
5. If you are the elderly or at risk (due to a compromised immune system) or are sick or symptomatic, we encourage you to stay at home and to consider streaming services instead: http://www.goholycross.org/Broadcast/ or http://www.goannunciation.org/live-services
6. If you are not able to attend services, and would like a pastoral visit, please contact us at the Church Office or via email.
Additionally, no one should be or feel criticized for making the choice to refrain for a time from their participation in the liturgical life of the Church. May these precautionary measures and our prayerful responses be blessed during this crisis. We should strengthen one another, as the Apostle Paul says: For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, so that whether we wake or sleep we might live with Him. Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. (I Thessalonians 5:9-11) [-Archbishop Elpidophoros]