CHURCH REOPENING UPDATE - 6.11.2020
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guidelines as we returnto our parish
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To Our St. Stephen’s Family:
We hope this finds you all safe and healthy as spring turns into summer and we continue to navigate the coronavirus health situation. Fr. Reynor and I woul
d like to once again thank you all for your continued support and patience during this unprecedented time. Your emails, letters and gifts have been a blessing and greatly appreciated.
Every day more news comes out on the opening of churches across the state in general and the Archdiocese of New York in particular. Here at St. Stephen’s, we continue to monitor the health situation and work behind the scenes to open St. Stephen’s for Daily and Sunday masses in a controlled and safe manner. You will be receiving several Flocknotes in the coming days with details on the information below that gives a quick overview and timeline of our opening plans.
Church building:- The church remains open for private prayer from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Please continue to adhere to the established guidelines
- The office remains closed until further notice – our parish staff continues to work from home
- Restrooms remain closed
- We will not resume parish group meetings until further notice
- Confessions will resume Saturday, June 13, 2:30 - 4:00 p.m.
- Masks must be worn at all times while in the church
- Plastic sheeting has been put up to protect both clergy and penitent
- There will be no ‘face-to-face’ confessions
- Please leave three seats between yourself and another parishioner who may be waiting
- Holy Hour will be open to the public starting this Friday, June 12, 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
- A reservation system will be used not only to keep track of who will be coming but to also “road test” our new reservation capability on Flocknote
- Details on Holy Hour will be provided in a separate email
- Funeral Masses will resume as of Monday, June 22 with all appropriate precautions and guidelines
- Memorial Masses will take place as scheduled
- Baptisms may now be scheduled with all appropriate precautions and guidelines
- Weddings this summer have either been cancelled for now or postponed for a later date.
Masses will resume on the schedule given below. Volunteers have been working to configure seating in the sanctuary that adheres to social distancing guidelines at a 25 % capacity as directed by the state and Archdiocese. Reservations will be required.
Many more details will follow separately. I ask that you please be patient and flexible as we head into our ‘new normal’ and protocols are established and tweaked. This is uncharted territory for us all.- Daily Masses will resume Monday, June 22, at 9:00 a.m. only
- Sunday Mass will resume the weekend of June 27- 28 at the following times:
- Saturdays – 5:00 p.m.
- Sundays – 9:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Thank you once again for your understanding and cooperation as we begin to open St. Stephen’s Church. We look forward to worshipping together even if the circumstances are different from what we know.
May God continue to bless us all,
Fr. Jack
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