The Unstoppable Church--Coronavirus Times: A Pastoral Update from Rev. Shirley

Friends, living with coronavirus conditions raises lots of questions. So, I’m hoping this information will answer some of them. Please email or call me if you don’t find the answers you’re looking for. Or if you just want to talk, that’s good too. My contact info is in Realm and on our website.

First, Christ Church follows both the Governor’s Amended Executive Orders as well as the requirements given by the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. Early on in the pandemic, we watched churches and funerals become super-spreader events, and the diocese set the goal of limiting virus spread while asking the clergy and volunteers of the churches to do all possible to keep the ministries of the church vibrant and relevant.

Where we are now:

•    In-person Outdoor Worship with Online Option — CCE was approved by the Diocese of Virginia for in-person outdoor worship, and we’ve been doing this for a few months. (Please thank our music and audio-visual teams for all their technical re-work and weekly heavy-lifting that has made this possible: Keith and Caedmon Tan, Lee Bowles, Gordon Macgill, Rich Hull, and Nick Parker and others.)

•    Online Worship — Given the colder temperatures, 11/22 will be our final fall in-person outdoor worship. Starting 11/29, please join us for worship online. Worship will be live-streamed (YouTube) at 10 AM (and accessible afterward), and we will provide a drive-up add-on from 11AM - 12 noon for those who would like to pick up their holy communion wafer.

•    Coming Up — CCE has been pre-approved by the Diocese of Virginia for in-person indoor worship once the level of virus in Henrico County declines to low-yellow (under 5) or green, so long as Rev. Shirley and the Vestry feel it’s responsible to do so, given that we’re also keeping an eye on Hanover and Goochland because of proximity. We use the global epidemics site. The diocese provides a weekly update by county. Our plan for in-person indoor worship can be found here. A group of lay leaders has been tasked by the vestry with preparing the procedures we’ve been using for outdoor worship and for indoor worship planning. Please thank them for their diligent and hope-filled work: Jen Wasik, Lee and Tracy Muckey, Roge Smith, Michael Compton, Bonnie Shelhorse, Kay Holmes, Scott Arnold, Kathy Theado.

And look with hopefulness toward Advent and Christmas!

• Advent Worship (online), Sundays November 29-December 20
• The Light of the World: A Drive-Through Christmas Experience (in-person), Sunday December 20, 1-4 PM and Thursday, December 24, 1-4 PM.
• Candlelight & Communion on Christmas Eve (in-person), Thursday, December 24, 5:30 PM