From the Rector
Dear Friends in Christ,
On Monday we sent out a few notes about next steps in Regathering (which may be found here). This Rector's note today answers a few more questions as we move toward Holy Week and regathering.
It is an exciting time and each day we get a few more details sorted. We will send out another communication on Monday, March 29, with details about registration for Easter.
In the meantime, we prepare ourselves spiritually to enter Holy Week, the central moment of the Church year. It seems fitting that we prepare for this regathering just as we enter this week with its commingled themes of sorrow, rejoicing, lament, and celebration. It is a time that is jarring and disruptive--it is a time when we remember the saving work of God and give thanks that we are gathered as the Body of Christ and welcomed into the contemplation of these mighty acts by which we are made one.
May the week ahead be a spiritually rich one in which we anticipate the joys of Easter and take with us the sorrows of the Passion, the gift of the Eucharist, a humility expressed in our desire to serve, a willingness to bear our cross and follow Christ, and renewed hope in the Resurrection.
Yours in Christ,
Fr Robert
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What is the process for signing up for Easter services?
Register online at https://stphilipstucson.org/easter. Registration will open on Monday morning and close on Friday at 4:00pm.
Those who are unable to attend Easter morning will have priority for registration at the in-person services in the following weeks. Our intent is to continue with at least one in-person service on Sundays going forward while also continuing to provide an online service option.
Easter Offering
The Easter Offering this year will go toward the Choral Residency program scheduled for 2022 in thanksgiving for the wonderful offering of virtual performances that have been a part of online worship.
The Easter Memorial Offering is to be given in loving memory of those that are no longer with us.
You can make Easter Offerings on the church website.
If I have questions or have a hard time registering, who can I call?
Chris Campbell, 520-268-0251
Which services will have an online component during Holy Week and on Easter?
All Holy Week and Easter services will have an online component. Holy Week services will be live streamed. There will be an online Easter service available to watch on via the church website. A complete listing of all the services can be found at https://stphilipstucson.org/easter.
Does this mean Sunday online services are ending?
Sunday online services will continue! You will be able to watch via the church website.
What will be the timeline for signing up for services week to week?
The opportunity to register for Sunday and midweek services will go live on Mondays and registration will close on Fridays at 4pm. The link will be sent out in the weeks ahead.
What kind of safety protocols are going to be in place on Easter Sunday and subsequent Sundays?
We ask that everyone who registers for a service closely read and abide by the Covenant of Care that is available when registering at stphilipstucson.org/easter. This includes following CDC guidelines on masks (those with valves are not allowed, and faceshields must be worn in addition to a mask) and the instructions of communications to be distributed prior to the service and to Ushers and Greeters. Our desire is to care for one another and we are grateful for that shared commitment.
Our regathering plan has been approved by the Bishop's Task Force for Regathering for Abundant Life and this sets the limits on outdoor and indoor worship, singing, and contact tracing. Until we enter Phase 3 we will be using these guidelines.
We will hand out single-use bulletins. If you would like to bring your own Book of Common Prayer, as well you are welcome to!
Why does it seem to be taking a little longer for Saint Philip’s to re-gather than other churches?
The average Sunday attendance at Saint Philip’s is around 10x the normal Episcopal parish. So where the average parish is planning for how to help 50 people or so gather we are sorting how to welcome (and accommodate those unable to register) around 500. We have around 1,600 members to keep informed so everything just takes a little longer when we’re moving into a new phase. Our size comes with many, many benefits (like having over 100 people active in choir alone) but it also comes with some unique challenges (and responsibilities to our wider community) in circumstances like this.