Letter from the Rector: Update on Worship Plans and Holy Week Schedule with Links

March 31, 2021

Dear Saint Stephen’s Community,

As we have entered Holy Week, I want to share with you the specific links and details for our Holy Week services, and I also want to share our plans for worship after Easter as we continue to evolve in our plans to resume in-person worship. First, I will share our plans and then, at the bottom of the email, you will find the links needed to access our online Holy Week services.

Last week, our bishop offered some guidance around the resumption of in-person gathering for churches in the Diocese of Alabama. I shared her letter with our Task Force for Covid-19 and we are beginning to implement some of the suggestions. Masks and social distancing will still be required on the campus of Saint Stephen’s, including during outdoor worship. I am hopeful as we increase our opportunities for gathering responsibly in worship.

  • Beginning on April 11, the 8:00 a.m. service will move into the Nave and will be a service of Holy Eucharist. We will not require reservations for this service. 

  • At 9:00 a.m., we will gather in the back parking lot for our service of Holy Eucharist with music. There will be a mixture of music at the service including our choir and folk musicians. 

  • At 10:15 a.m., during the Christian Formation hour, we will offer the opportunity to hear and interact with our presenters in the Parish Hall. For the remainder of the spring, several of our speakers will be with us in-person and a couple will join us remotely. In either case, we will offer the chance to gather for learning and discussion in the Parish Hall while continuing to offer the Sunday Forums via Zoom and YouTube.

  • At 11:15 a.m., the service of Morning Prayer will be streamed from the Nave. At this time, this will still be virtual only, so that we can incorporate participation in the readings and prayers from people’s homes.

  • Beginning on April 18, we will resume our 5:00 p.m. Celtic service of Holy Eucharist in the Nave. This service will require a reservation. The link to sign up will be in the e-news (sent on the Tuesday prior to the service) and on the website.

Our nursery will be available for children up to age 4 from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. each Sunday. For now, reservations are required to help with staffing in this interim time.

Finally, I hope you will make every effort to join us for services this week. Here are the links to view our worship services.

Links to these services and bulletins (to be added as completed) can all be found at www.ssechurch.org/holy-week or by clicking on Holy Week at the top of our website. I also want to share here the names of those in whose honor the gifts of flowers and music have been made. I look forward to worshiping with each of you.

The Rev. John B. Burruss

Rector

John Burruss