This has been a long and unusual Spring. As you know, our church buildings have been closed for all but emergency community food services since mid-March and I know we are all missing seeing one another face to face.
Although that has not been an option, as Clergy and Staff, we have been offering nightly Compline, Sunday service (now with music and varied readers), Zoom coffee hour on Sunday, and an adult Bible study to follow. These are not-in person offerings but they have come a long way in their style and fullness.
The State of New York has already allowed churches to open and, as of July, the Diocese will permit that too. However these early openings will be done on a very limited basis with reduced numbers of attendees, spacing, music restrictions, etc.
Given these limits and the fact that many of our diocese’s churches are not opening for services (including Trinity Wall Street), your Wardens, Vestry, and Clergy have decided to postpone our opening till after Labor Day. This will allow us to see how openings in other churches are going.
Further, by mid-July, you should receive a short survey about our transitional worship options and your preferences. These surveys will help us in our planning for a September reopening.
Meanwhile, Compline, Morning Prayer, Coffee Hour, and Bible Study will continue on social media platforms.
These months have been a challenge but also a time of learning and growth. Above all, as we plan to reassemble, we will look prayerfully to perceive God’s will for our community.
We want you to return to a safe and inspiring place of spiritual sustenance and growth. And rest assured we will keep you posted on our progress.
Bless you all.
Faithfully,
Cooper+
The Rev. J. Cooper Conway, Priest in Charge