Dear Christ the Redeemer family,
There have been and continue to be many changes and exceptional circumstances during this year, greatest among those being the loved ones we have lost. I am glad to be able to share that our All Souls Requiem will be broadcast on our website and Facebook page on Sunday, November 1st, at 5 p.m..
For those new among us, or as a gentle reminder, the All Souls Requiem is a celebration of Holy Eucharist in which we remember (on the evening of the Sunday that we have, in the morning, celebrated All Saints) those saints who have in the previous year gone on ahead of us to be with our Lord Jesus. In it we will remember by name any loved ones who’ve died in the last year. We invite you to send names to [email protected] by October 27th.
The commemoration of the dead is traditionally called a Requiem because that is the first spoken (sung) word of the liturgy, and comes from an ancient Latin prayer; it means “rest”:
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,
Rest eternal grant them, Lord,
et lux perpetua luceat eis.
and light perpetual shine on them.
This year Peter and Erin Cherry will sing the service music in Gregorian Chant (plainsong or unaccompanied melody), which is by far the oldest of all Requiem settings. Created sometime in the first millennium A.D., it has also one “new” movement, the Dies irae, dating from the 1200s.
The beautiful liturgy and music will help us to mourn with hope and to believe ever more in God’s gift of eternal life provided through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This year of all years, the Requiem may offer peace and a sacred space for grieving beyond the church walls as many have lost loved ones due to COVID who they otherwise would not have lost, or who have died from any cause. I invite you to spread the news about the Requiem, and the invitation to send us names, to friends and family and on your social media.
A FEW OTHER NOTES
Prayers For These Days:
The Anglican tradition has a long history of engaging with social and political structures in society for the peace and common good. There are Collects especially for praying for THE NATION starting on p. 654 of the Book of Common Prayer and for THE SOCIETY in the following section, starting on p. 658. Please join me in praying daily for the upcoming elections, especially using this Collect:
31. for an election
Almighty God, to whom we must account for all our powers and privileges: Guide and direct, we humbly pray, the minds of all those who are called to elect fit persons to serve [in ________]. Grant that in the exercise of our choice we may promote your glory, and the welfare of this nation. This we ask for the sake of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Returning To The Building
I mentioned briefly during the announcements on Sunday that in November we hope and are making plans to return in a limited way to the church building for worship. I plan to write more about this next week, but for now want to share such as I am able at this time.
1. As with all of our plans and decisions during this season, we are going forward creatively but also conservatively and carefully. And, as with all of our plans, things may change in directions we cannot predict, and we will respond to those changes. So, again, what I am sharing here represents that for which we are planning.
2. We are targeting November 15th as the Sunday when we return to the church building, in a limited way, as outlined below (and more detail to come).
3. We are planning to have the 8.45 a.m. and 11 a.m. services with 50 people allowed at each and a rotation of attendees.
4. The measures that keep people safe will continue to be a part of our gatherings: masks, distancing, contact tracing.
5. Services will continue to be available online.
More to come on this as we continue to work on it, but in the meantime please come worship with us as Summer on Green has stretched itself into autumn…Bishop Andrew will be with us this Sunday, and the next Sunday we will celebrate All Saints.
May Jesus Christ be praised,
Tim+
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