Dear Parishioners and friends,

We are a church in transition.  During the time of the Corona Virus and closing of church buildings we have be given the opportunity to rediscover what it means to be a Christian community and disciples of Jesus.

Though in person worship has been discontinued we remain a church at prayer as we continue community worship online via Facebook and support one another by phone calls, social media and mailings. With the tremendous amount of loss during this time we have also been given much gain in rediscovering the value of family, community and worship as a parish.  

It is true, our parish life has changed and when reopened it will not be the same.  Though, the pattern and structure of liturgy, ministry and outreach will be different, it will be renewed and strengthened to better serve our people.  

The realization from these events is: We are no longer "5:30 people" or "8 o'clockers" or "the 10:00 crowd", but rather we are Christ Church!  We are one parish!  

Around June 5 the Diocesan COVID-19 Task Force will be releasing guidelines for parishes to begin to reopen.  In preparation for our reopening process it is important to note this will be done slowly and in stages.  

Under these circumstances, I have taken the following actions:

- with vestry approval I have hired Carlos Torres to be our Sexton beginning in June.  Carlos will be cleaning all of the buildings: church, mansion and parish hall.  This will include disinfecting the pews and sanctuary after our Service on Sunday.  

-  When reopened: we will have one Principle Sunday Service at 10:00 am.  Initially, there will be limitations on attendance as well as age restrictions that will be addressed in the diocesan guidelines in June.  Holy Communion will not likely be reintroduced to worship right away.  

-  All Services will continued to be live-streamed on Facebook for those who will not be able to attend in-person worship due to attendance restrictions or because of personal health.  

- I have formed the Parish Health and Safety Committee to assist me and the vestry during the reopening process in implementing diocesan guidelines and assisting in making sanitary decisions specifically for our parish.  All people appointed to the committee are registered nurses.  The committee consists of our Co-Warden, Cherry Biacan, serving as the chair.  The other two members of the committee are Joyce and Wally Welliver.  

-  For the health of our parishioners I have also designated Joyce Welliver to be our parish nurse.  Joyce is a registered parish nurse and a professor of nursing at Drexel University.  

Along with these decisions I am encouraging the leaders of our various ministries to begin to reimagine how your ministry will continue to serve under these new realities.  Amy Seaman has already adapted Sunday School by conducting classes by Zoom.  I have spoken with Ed Zipf, president of the parish's Brotherhood of Saint Andrew, about resuming its meetings by Zoom. I am also in conversation with Ed and Cherry Biacan, both Co-Wardens, regarding our next vestry meeting by Zoom in June if we remain prohibited from gathering in person.   

I invite our ministry leaders to contact me with ideas about moving forward in adapting to our "new normal."

This is a time of great change and transition but we have the faith and commitment as disciples of Jesus to fulfill his mission as the Episcopal Church in Somers Point.

Thank you for your prayers and support for our parish.  I am grateful to be your rector.  We are One Parish!

Blessings in Christ our Lord,

Fr. Justin Falciani