[Magdalen] Church Cleaning & Reopening

[Marion Thompson]

Our Diocese sets the pace, not what levels of government may be saying.
So, there is stage one for the office and tenants and  staff in July and
August.  and then stage two, opening the church for services in September.
We are few in number and mostly over 70 and into 80s and 90s.  The priest
won't have a server, no transfer of vessels, etc,. and must wear a mask A
Lot. A standing station, no kneeling or rail, for receiving -- wafer only,
of course.  Everyone masked and sitting miles apart .  A list of names
attending, to be kept for three years.  No coffee time at all.   No
singing, of course.  It's kind of sad - our organist has worked so hard to
bring along a junior choir (kiss the adults goodbye) over time.  He has
them doing chimes, too, and that presents its own set of problems. re
spacing.  Our office is manned by volunteers..  It is all due diligence, of
course, but it will be the same two or three who will have to do everything
for the foreseeable future.

Thanks to the industry of our incumbent we have had wonderful bulletins
since we got rid of the position of parish secretary, correct in every
detail and featuring art and a meditation each week.  Come September,
hmmmmm.

That's my whine for today.  Thanks for listening.  Now I must turn my
attention to receiving the rectory keys before that car leaves in the
morning..

Marion, a pilgrim

On Tue, Jun 30, 2020 at 2:35 PM Ann Markle <ann.markle at aya.yale.edu> wrote:

> I meant to say to Marion, too -- I was completely overwhelmed the first
> time I read  our reopening guidelines.  It took a week to calm myself
> down.  I think we've  got it for now, though. The reminder that libraries
> are only holding  books for  72  hours before reshelving (same here in
> Buffalo  & Erie County) reassures me about the books --  even though the
> diocese recommends removing them.
>
> Ann
>
> The Rev. Ann Markle
> Buffalo, NY
> ann.markle at aya.yale.edu
>