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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

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

 On Ash Wednesday, we are asked to commit ourselves "to observe a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word." (BCP 265) This commitment is done individually with the understanding that we are in community and is meant to be relational.  This Lent will be unlike any other as we approach our 1 year at home anniversary and remain on Zoom for worship and Lenten activities.    We hope to take advantage of all that technology has to offer us as we commit ourselves to turning our hearts back to God.

 Below we offer descriptions of the Lenten offerings and ask you to formally make a commitment to a Lenten practice.  Sometimes when we commit and make that commitment known to someone else it makes it easier for us to follow that commitment -  because we all know from lots of New Year's resolutions, it's not always so easy even when our heart is in it. Making new habits takes time.   So we've made it easy by creating a form!  we invite you to fill it out once you've figured out what spiritual practice you would like to take up this Lent.

 In peace with love,

The Mothers

 Lent Commitment Form:

https://forms.gle/L51TqiCyd58V9HJE8

Weekly Contemplative Prayer

7:30am Thursday mornings beginning February 18th through April 1st.

Every Thursday morning in Lent we will engage in the ancient prayer of Lectio Divina at 7:30am via Zoom.
In Christianity, Lectio Divina is a traditional Benedictine practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's Word. It does not treat Scripture as texts to be studied, but as the Living Word that reveals its relevance in our lives today. We will pray seasonally relevant scripture. No previous experience necessary. Sessions will last approximately 30 minutes.

Daily Reading/Praying/Reflecting on the Lenten reflections

For the past few years, parishioners have engaged in reflecting on a piece of scripture and offering their thoughts in the form of a daily Lenten reflection that gets emailed out.  This year we will continue this practice and add an audio component so that you can listen to the scripture of the day, the reflection and end with the Lord's Prayer.  As a practice, this would mean to commit to reading or listening to the daily scripture and reflection and spending some time with it yourself. 

Weekly Outreach at Masbia

Sundays in Lent 3-6pm

Until the pandemic hit, Holy Apostles went to Masbia, the kosher soup kitchen on Coney Island Avenue twice a month. Masbia has been responding the hunger crisis made worse by the pandemic and loss of jobs by being open 24 hours a day. This Lent, we are organizing a group to go weekly on Sundays from 3pm-6pm to help put together food pantry food, distribute frozen meals or help in the kitchen, a time when they greatly need volunteers. If you wish to go a different time, please let us know. Strict Covid safety guidelines are followed.

Lenten Book selection

Our two recommended books are meant to get us to reflect on where God is moving in our lives, how what the author is writing about is relevant to us today, and give way to discussion or journaling.  This Lent we return to two books that we know and love: 

No Other Gods by Ana Levy-Lyons 

Those of all faiths, as well as people who are alienated from religion, will find in this radical reflection on the most widely known (and misunderstood) of biblical texts a resource for both personal dignity and political engagement. When lived, as revealed in this insightful book, the Commandments liberate us from immoral systems, guide us to live lightly on the earth, and create a foundation on which to build real community. 

Folks these days crave meaningful practices to help us live in light of our values – the kinds of religious resources and disciplines that the religious right has provided so usefully for conservatives. No Other Godsis a step in this direction. It reintroduces the Ten Commandments text as a political and spiritual prescription for our time. The Commandment against stealing extends to include any failure to pay fair trade price for consumer goods. The Commandment against killing includes deaths caused by environmental devastation. The prohibition on bearing false witness becomes urgent in the age of "truthiness" and alternative facts. 

Those who want a meaningful way to live out our spirituality and politics don’t have to invent a bunch of new practices. There is a perfectly good set of ten of them, all ready to go, that has existed for some 3000 years. 

Love is the Way by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry

The way of love is essential for addressing the seemingly insurmountable challenges facing the world today: poverty, racism, selfishness, deep ideological divisions, competing claims to speak for God. This book will lead readers to discover the gifts they need in order to live the way of love: deep reservoirs of hope and resilience, simple wisdom, the discipline of nonviolence, and unshakable regard for human dignity.

Devotional Art Class: Stations of the Cross Icon with Fr. Regan O'Callaghan

5 Sundays at 4pm via Zoom starting February 21. Cost $50 for the 5 sessions to cover supplies.

Space is limited.

Art has long been a spiritual practice, especially the ancient practice of Icon writing. Join Regan O'Callahan for 5 Sundays in Lent where you will create your own mixed media Station of the Cross with painting combined with collage. Supplies will be provided and distributed prior to February 21st.

Regan O’Callaghan is an artist/priest presently living in France but originally from New Zealand. Previously he lived in the United Kingdom where he studied art and religious studies including the technique of icon writing (painting).   In 2001 Regan was ordained into the Church of England.  He combines his religious ministry with art leading many art projects and workshops as well as painting a number of commissions including icons for Saint Paul’s Cathedral London and Sherborne Abbey, Dorset.  He believes in a ministry of encouragement where art is the facilitator. Today Regan’s art practice has built on the technique of icon writing combining contemporary themes with traditional techniques.   He is also inspired by the natural environment and humankind's relationship/connection with their surroundings.

Giving Up something

Traditionally, we hear of folks, or maybe we have, given up chocolate or meat or alcohol for Lent. This practice aims to go deeper to reflect on what is getting in your way to being closer to God - is it gossip? envy? anger? jealousy? etc...This practice asks you to spend some time before Lent begins to figure out what might be getting in the way of a closer relationship with God and committing to "giving it up" for these 40 days.

A little help from a friend, a Lenten Friend

We’ve heard it said before that we, as Christians, are Easter people, living in a Good Friday world. This statement at this particular time in history resonates with me more deeply than ever. We are Easter people living in a Good Friday world. We are people of hope; we look for resurrected life around us, we listen for it, we demand it, we vote for it, we create it. And it is not easy, for as the saying goes, we live in a Good Friday world—an unjust world, where innocent are punished, the poor are shamed, the humble, teased, a world where God is murdered, and often. This daily struggle to be people of Easter, people of hope who are convinced that love always wins, requires some dedicated effort.  
 
Like any athlete who trains to perform their feat, like any artist who wakes early to create, in order to be Easter people, we must practice. This is what Lent is all about. Lent is a time to stop, to clear our noisy lives, and focus in on our call—our call to seek Justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. 
 
We hold Lent for 40 days. Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days, preparing for his ministry and being tested by the devil. During Lent, we join Jesus in the wildness. By simplifying our lives, we open ourselves to the inner wildness we spend so much time avoiding. Be it grief, or longing, shame, or disappointment. By clearing out space in our lives we open ourselves to the unknown. This is a time of mystery—we commit to spiritual practices seeking to see what we do not see and hear what we do not hear, so that we may encounter buried truths about ourselves, about life, about God. And we truly have no idea what we may find.  
 
Which is why Lent can be intimidating! But take heart; we are not alone. We travel through the wilderness of Lent with the One who knows the wilderness well, the One who endured it, the One who created it. But this year at Holy Apostles, we also have an opportunity to travel through Lent with a friend. This year, if you would like, we will pair you up with a “Lenten Friend,” someone from Holy Apostles community, to go through Lent together.   So once you have selected your practice and filled out the form, the last question will be, do you want a Lenten Friend who will travel these 40 days with you. If you say yes, we will pair you up with someone else who has also signed up for your same practice and you will be hearing from Missy Trull, chaplain and HA parishioner who will guide you through what it means to travel this Lent with a friend.