COVID Update - August 2, 2021

August 2, 2021

Greetings:

We hope this letter finds you all well. We write to further update the COVID procedures and protocols we will be implementing at our parish as the result of the spread o f the Delta variant.

Based on reports of various medical expert reports, the Delta variant is highly transmissible. As a result, the COVID Committee has unanimously decided that it is better to be cautious to not only protect all parishioners but to make all who attend church feel at ease

As a result, effective immediately:

  1. All attendees, including vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, must wear a mask. It is important that we recognize that we have unvaccinated people in attendance, elderly and people with weakened immune systems, who are all at an increased risk of COVID because of age or health conditions. As a community, it is our obligation to work together to safeguard all.

  2. There will be no touching or kissing of icons.

  3. We will refrain from shaking hands during the kiss of peace (please bow or acknowledge your fellow parishioner).

  4. Father Antony, Deacon Jeff and the altar servers will be masked and will continue to hand you the holy bread.

  5. Sunday School will commence on Sunday, September 12, 2021. All students and teachers must be masked.

  6. There will be a coffee hour after divine liturgy on Sunday, August 15, 2021 for the Dormition and coffee hours will resume Sunday, September 12, 2021. The coffee hour hosts, who will be masked and gloved, will serve parishioners so that there is no touching of the coffee hour food.

  7. Those who graciously agree to host a coffee hour must follow our list of coffee hour procedures to ensure the health and safety of everyone.

If you have any questions, please direct them to any member of the COVID Committee (Kh. Carol Hughes, Mary Winstanley O'Connor, Marc Patacchiola and Deno Takles).

The Committee appreciates everyone's cooperation and patience.

The COVID Committee