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Church & Community Events

Funeral Service for Ron Metzler this Saturday at 11 am at the church.

All in our church community are welcome to join us for the funeral service of Ron Metzler, beloved parishioner of Holy Apostles. There will be a concurrent broadcast of the service on Facebook Live. If you wish to view the service, please visit the Church’s Facebook page: Church of the Holy Apostles.

Blessing of the animals this Sunday at 11:30 am

After the 10 am service, bring your pets for our annual blessing of the animals. Like last year, we will celebrate on the steps of the church offering individual blessings to your pets, photos of deceased or pets that cannot attend, and even your child’s favorite stuffed animal!

Coffee Hour

One of the joys of being back in person is the fellowship that follows both services. For the foreseeable future, we will host coffee hour outside on the landing in front of the church. Ann Mellow has graciously volunteered to coordinate volunteers for the 10 am service and Denise Oliviera for This Little Light. For the 8:30 am service, we need one family to host weekly. Responsibilities include: for TLL: setting up the small folding table, bringing something (i.e. coffee cake, banana bread) to eat possibly along with some easy fruit (clementines) setting up coffee cups, putting out the milk and sugar and making sure there is a garbage bag; for the 10 am we need 2 volunteers to bring the same type of food and then doing clean up (cleaning and putting the folding table away, clearing the garbage).   Email Us to Volunteer.

A Requiem for All Souls, Tuesday, November 2nd at 8pm on Zoom

A service for All Souls is the time we all come together to remember those dearly departed in the last 12-months. It is a beautiful service of music, meditation and features a Necrology which includes photos of our dearly departed. If you would like to include a photo of a loved one that you have lost in the last 12-months, please email us a photo and include the person’s name, their relationship to you (friend, aunt, brother, etc), the date of their birth and the date of their passing. Photos and emails should be sent to Mother Kimberlee.

Baptism: All Saints, Sunday, November 7th

If you, your child or someone you know are interested in receiving the sacrament of baptism, our next baptismal date is All Saints, November 7th. Baptism is offered freely to all who seek it, and we prepare ourselves for the sacrament with a time of study and prayer. The 6-week preparation course begins this Wednesday at 9:15 pm. If you are interested in baptism, please email us HERE.

Adult Formation

How Then Shall We Live? Discipleship in the post-Covid era reading and reflection group. Wednesdays from 8-9 pm via Zoom.

The last year and a half of COVID 19 outbreak has revealed so much about the world and community in which we live. There are frayed edges on our social contract and new questions about the world we want to live in and the world in which we now live. These questions were present well before the pandemic, but have been placed in sharp relief by our shared worldwide experience.

What then does the Christian faith have to say about ethics - our obligations to one another - and discipleship - how we are invited to live as followers of Jesus? We will explore these questions using the the book by Dr. Sam Wells, “How Then Shall We Live?” as our guide throughout the year. The book is available for purchase on Amazon in various formats.

Join the Mothers and their colleague the Rev. Gideon Pollach for a weekly reading and reflection group. Interested in signing up or leaning more email us HERE.

Choir

We are so excited to welcome Saya and the choir back to in person singing in the church! Have you wanted to join the choir - all are welcome and it is a great time to join as Saya begins to plan for All Saints and the Advent and Christmas seasons. Interested in finding out more about the choir, please email us HERE.

Housekeeping

Reader sign up back of church

Folks who are interested in reading during the service can now sign-up in the back of the church - the reader sign up is on the podium.

Collection

We have place the collection plate in the back of the church for those who choose to give in person rather than online. If you would like to give online, please email us here and we can get you set up with OnRealm for either one time or recurring donations.

Pastoral Care

Prayer List

If you have a prayer or thanksgiving that you would like to include in our weekly parish prayer email, please email us HERE.

Coffee, lunch or meeting with the Mothers

If you wish to meet with us to talk about your spiritual journey, a pastoral issue or just because you want to catch up, we would love to spend time. Email us HERE.

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

This Sunday, September 19th we are so excited to see so many of you in person and to continue to welcome many of you on Zoom. We move forward changed people – because the last 18 months have changed us individually and as a worshipping community and we have begun to reflect on our need to heal and how God’s love factors into that process.

We have journeyed and continue to journey together through this pandemic, through the election, through the fight for racial and economic justice, through our support of the families at PS 15, through the birth of babies, through weddings, through separations, through job losses and transitions, through remote schooling, through moves, through birthdays and anniversaries, through the illnesses and deaths of beloved family members and friends. When you see each other in person this Sunday, know that you look into the eyes of your brother or sister, that person too has changed, just like you have.

We come from people who know what it is to journey: from Moses and the Israelites to Joseph and Mary to Jesus and his disciples. And just as it was for them, God has been here with us, even in those moments when we haven’t felt God’s presence, or have been disappointed or have been too tired. We too have been here for each other, we have loved each other, prayed for each other and learned to be Christian community in a much deeper way. Let us take this learning forward with us – to connect with, care for and love each other as Jesus continues to teach us.

In peace with love,

The Mothers

Please see the Zoom & In-Person guidelines below for each of the services:

This Little Light @ 8:30am  - A service for children 0-5 with their families

Weather permitting we will continue to worship on the lawn. We are requiring that all people over the age of 2 wear a mask in order to ensure the safety of all present. RSVPs are no longer necessary and the bathrooms are open. Get ready to dance & sing!

Please bring:

• A mask to wear;

• A blanket to sit on;

• Instruments and

• A joyful spirit of participation!

If you or your child are feverish, coughing, sneezing, achy or sick in any way, please stay home. Err on the side of caution. We are here every weekend, missing one service is OK.

Main Service @ 10am in person & on Zoom

The Sanctuary:

• Opens 10 minutes before the service;

• There are two hand sanitizing dispensers at the entrance of the church;

• Masks are available for folks who do not bring their own;

• All windows will be open;

• The fan will be on;

• Seats are placed at least 3 feet from each other. Please do not move them.

In Person:

We have room for 65 people in the church.

• Doors open: Folks will be allowed in the church 10 minutes prior to the service. We know folks are excited to be here, but we want to limit the amount of time we are indoors.

• Masks: All persons inside the church building are required to wear a mask at all times, included while singing.

• Seats: We are excited about our new padded, super comfy cathedral chairs! Seats are spaced at least 3 feet apart. We ask that you do not move them.

• Pews: If you are a family unit or couple coming, we have reserved pews for you all to sit together. We ask that individuals allow families and couples to sit in the pews.

• Bulletins: We will have printed bulletins with all of the music, readings and prayers. If you are coming with someone and can share, that would be great.

• Singing: Singing is permitted.

• Communion: Communion in one kind (the bread) will be distributed to all who want to receive. Parishioners will remain in their seats and the clergy will come to them.

• The Passing of the Peace: In the past, the passing of the peace has been a raucous joyful time in the church. For now, we will be passing the peace from our seats, with no physical contact (no hugging or hand shaking) and move quickly to the offertory.

• The Offering: While most folks now give online, if you wish to give in person there will be an offering plate near the doors of the church. We will not be passing an offering plate.

• Exiting the Church: We ask that folks not stay in the church after the service. Please be patient and let the folks in front of you leave so we don’t congregate by the doors.

• Bathrooms: Our bathrooms are now all unisex. What was the women’s bathroom is open to all and also functions as a family bathroom with a changing table.

• Stairs: If you need to access the bathrooms downstairs, please use the stairs near the entry to the church. The stairs near the organ will not be accessible for use.

• Food & Drink in Church: Because we are keeping our masks on at all times, there is no food and drink allowed in church, even for our youngest friends. If your child needs a drink of water or a snack, please bring them outside.

• If you are not feeling well, please choose to stay home and join us on Zoom. We continue to put the wellbeing of everyone at the center of what we are doing.

The Zoom:

We are really excited to let folks know that our Zoom run through this week went really well! We have a great microphone that picks up the music, the readings and you will get to see Deacon John, The Mothers, Saya, the readers and the Choir. Deacon John will be welcoming you to the Zoom and hopefully as other folks enter the sanctuary, they will get a chance to say ‘hello.’ The service will feel different because it is the service of Holy Communion, whereas we have been doing Morning Prayer. The first part, The Liturgy of the Word will look and feel most like Morning Prayer and include all of the readings, the Prayers of the People, the Sermon and some hymns. You are welcome to stay for the whole service but also want to say that if you choose to leave after the peace before The Holy Communion begins, that is ok.

• You will receive a weekly Zoom link and link to the bulletin;

• We recommend you print the bulletin out so you can follow along;

• Deacon John will share the lyrics to hymns and prayers;

• We encourage you to type your prayers into the chat during the Prayers of the People and Deacon John will share them with the congregation;

• We want your feedback! Please let us know how you are experiencing the Zoom moving forward.

If any of you have questions about our protocols or there is something we have not addressed, please be in touch with us. We have tried to cover all the bases but we may have missed something that is important to you so please let us know. You can contact us here.

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

This Sunday marks one year since we have been in the Church for worship. Our community bonds have strengthened in many ways over these 12 months, and that is truly a wondrous gift from God in the midst of all of the loss. We know virtual church, virtual gathering, virtual everything doesn't work for some of us. We know this and hold this, knowing that this is not permanent, but like the Israelites time in the desert, a moment in our history, one that we will be able to look back on in reflection.

As we approach Holy Week and Easter we will continue to worship together on Zoom and we have been planning for safe ways for us to be together in person at other moments. In addition to continued social distancing measures, our church building is in the midst of a glorious renovation, rendering the space unusable for a couple more months. The renovation, like the Resurrection, reminds us of the hope in the world - that even in the midst of chaos, exists. We have 3 opportunities for in-person celebrations: Procession of the Palms on Palm Sunday (March 28), a re-imagined Easter Vigil with FIRE (April 3), Coffee Hour to Go & Easter Egg hunt for toddlers (April 11).

We want to share with you our schedule for Holy Week through the Sunday after Easter. You may be asking, why are we doing Coffee Hour to Go and the Easter Egg hunt for our littlest ones on the Sunday AFTER Easter, April 11, instead of Easter Day? That is a great question! In consultation with the Bishop's Committee, we all felt that the week after Easter Day, which is still Easter, would be an easier day for all folks involved in planning, to come together to celebrate the joy of the Resurrection. We are excited to see many of you there! We will ask folks the week before to sign up.

In peace with love,

The Mothers

Holy Week Through the Sunday after Easter Schedule

• Palm Sunday
  • 10am Zoom Service
  • 12noon Procession of the Palm (meet in front of the Church)
• Maundy Thursday (Service Bulletin)
  • 5pm Agape Meal Zoom (more info to come)
  • 7:30pm Zoom service with at home foot washing
• Good Friday  (Service Bulletin)
  • 12noon Zoom service
• Easter Vigil - reimagined
  • 8pm in person with Eucharist
• Easter Day
  • 10am Zoom
• 1st Sunday of Easter (Service Bulletin)
  • 10am Zoom
  • 11am This Little Light & Easter Egg Hunt for small children 5 and under
  • 11:30am Coffee Hour to Go at church