services and ringing at the advent

[Dale Winter <moikney gmail com>]

Hello all,

We have some disappointing news (see below) from the Advent, where in
person services are being suspended due to updated occupancy requirements.
I understand from Austin that this likely means that we will be cancelling
service ringing at Advent this week (Austin please correct me if I am
wrong). We do not yet know what it will mean in the longer term, and are
seeking guidance from the church on that.

I did just check with sexton at Old North who confirms that we ARE still
good to ring there starting this week per John's arrangements. I could
imagine that the same guidance from the bishops may end up impacting that,
but we will have to wait and see.

Thanks all,

dale

###########################################################
Excerpt from the Advent newsletter (just copy pasting the text as the body
ends up hitting size limits for the list)
###########################################################

Dear Parishioners & Friends of the Advent,

I have received a communication from the Bishop advising further changes to
our worship patterns during this Covidtide.

The diocesan communique reiterates the counsel, given in June, that
in-person church services cannot be advised. However, should services be
held, precautions (masks, Communion in one kind, distancing, registration,
etc.) remain in place. These we have observed faithfully and successfully
since we reopened in July. To my knowledge, since July, we have not had a
COVID diagnosis amongst anyone attending Mass at the Advent.

The Massachusetts Safety Standard for Public Worship currently limits
occupancy at a religious service to 40% of the building’s occupancy – in
our case some 160 persons at any one time. Given that we are averaging
about 120 souls per Sunday, split between two Masses, these occupancy
levels have not been an issue for us. However, the new diocesan guidelines
provide for a maximum of 25 persons at any one time, in light of increased
infection rates. This maximum of 25 is based on the Commonwealth guidelines
for secular indoor event venues: “where state standards for places of
worship are more permissive than those for other gathering places, we
expect our churches to adhere to the more limited standards provided for
other public venues.” The bishops write of their hope that “… renewed
restrictions, while causing short-term disappointment, will help us
traverse the coming months in greater health …”

This new attendance threshold means that we cannot do things as we have
been doing them for the last five months. This news was received at noon on
Thursday, so the leadership team of the Advent has not yet had time to
digest the implications of the new guidance and how it will play out in our
particular circumstances.

Accordingly, until we can get a handle on things,


   - Public worship this coming Sunday, November 22nd, is suspended. A Mass
   will be sung for webcast purposes with only those necessary present, 
but in
   any case under the 25-person threshold, and observing the necessary
   precautions.
   - In-person Christian education offerings are likewise suspended.
   - We will continue to offer our regular online offerings of Chapters,
   Choral Evensong, Meditations, and a rebroadcast of the Sunday Mass.


You should expect a further update from me next week.

Needless to say, this new guidance is disappointing. The Mass, both Meal
and Sacrifice, is of great importance to our spiritual, emotional, and
psychological well-being. The Church is, of her very nature, the gathering
of the baptized; and indeed, the Greek word ekklesia means ‘the assembly of
believers called out of the world’. In this corporate worship “we unite
ourselves with others to acknowledge the holiness of God, to hear God’s
Word, to offer prayer, and to celebrate the sacraments” (Catechism, BCP, p.
857). As Henri de Lubac famously said, “the Eucharist makes the Church.”

In the midst of this disappointment, yours and mine, I would offer three
thoughts, all drawn from the calendar of the Church, and which I have found
helpful. Perhaps you will too.

First, this coming Sunday is the culmination of the ecclesiastical year,
the Feast of Christ the King. Some have taken of late to calling it The
Reign of Christ, but I think this is unsatisfactory. Growing up in Canada,
a constitutional monarchy, I know that The Queen reigns, but does not rule.
Christ both reigns and rules! As the Missal Preface puts it, he is “King of
all … subduing unto his rule the whole creation … a kingdom endless and
universal; a kingdom of truth and life; a kingdom of grace and holiness, a
kingdom of peace, of love and of righteousness.” I would remind you that,
whatever is going on, in whatever circumstances we find ourselves, Christ
is King, and all – including the demonic forces of pestilence and disease –
is subject to his sway and sovereignty. God has made him “far above all
principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is
named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come” (Eph
1:21). We know how the story turns out. In the end, His will be done!

Secondly, Advent will soon be upon us. Advent is the season of waiting,
watching, and expectation. With God’s ancient people we cry: “O that thou
wouldest rend the heavens and come down” (Isa. 64:1, Lesson for Advent I). 
This
Covidtide too has been a season of waiting: “Wait two weeks to level the
curve; wait a few weeks more; wait until we have a vaccine; wait until the
vaccine is distributed. Wait.” Waiting is hard. I am consoled by the fact
that therapeutics continue to improve, and that a vaccine will soon be made
available, and that in the fullness of time, things will resolve
themselves. It will get better.

Thirdly, I think of the Paschal Mystery: that is, the death and
resurrection of our Lord. The pattern, both for Christ, and we little
christs (for that is what Christian means), is always death and
resurrection, dark winter giving way to a bright spring. For many in our
parish and the wider society, this time has been very difficult indeed:
loneliness and sickness and suffering, economic devastation, concerns about
civil and ecclesiastical liberties – it is possible to be concerned with
more than one thing at once! For some, it may seem that they are sealed up
in the darkness of the tomb. But again, we know how the story turns out: As
we sing at Easter:

Death’s mightiest powers have done their worst,
And Jesus hath his foes dispersed;
Let shouts of praise and joy outburst. Alleluya!

As I said, you will hear more from me next week. In the meantime, know that
you may call any of your priests for counsel, or simply for a sympathetic
ear.

DEA+
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