Message from Fr. Gregory concerning our Holy Week Schedule:
Beloved brethren,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ! We trust and pray that you are all well, that God is continuing to strengthen, guide, and build each one of you during this holy season.
Sadly, we will not be able to be together this week for the blessed services of the church, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Metropolitan JOSEPH has directed that no more than five people be present at the services: priest, chanters, altar server, videographer. So, we are forced to find other ways of praying together. We are going to do the best we can to live-stream the services, either on the St. Barnabas Orthodox Church Facebook page (for those services that are held there) or on the St. Catherine Orthodox Church Facebook page, for those services held at St. Catherine.
The schedule is attached. The Metropolitan has also directed that we NOT distribute any physical objects this Holy Week, so we will not distribute palms, have the Unction service on Wednesday evening, or distribute eggs at Pascha. Also, we will not be able to have our annual Paschal feast following the Agape Vespers. All of this is difficult for us, but we are still able to meet our Lord in the midst of this.
Suggestions for participation:
1. Listen, sing, and pray as much as possible as you listen.
2. Put the services on as big a screen as is feasible.
3. Try to eliminate as many distractions as possible.
4. Light a candle; burn some incense; if these are possible and safe.
I will be doing a brief homily, either in the normal place in the Liturgy, or at the end of the services for the others, to highlight the themes of the service.
Also, the Metropolitan has directed that we postpone face-to-face confession until after this situation has ended. Nonetheless, if you want to talk with me, I would be happy to do so over the phone.
Please be assured that we love you all, and that you are all in our prayers.
In the Resurrected Christ,
Fr. Gregory
