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Join us for In-Person OR Livestreamed Worship
for the 10th Sunday after Pentecost!
Dear Friends,
On Sunday, August 1, 2021 we will once again offer in-person worship at 10:00am for the tenth Sunday after Pentecost.
We still need to be careful, masking and social distancing. Below you will also find a link to the most recent recommendations for in-person worship from the Diocesan Re-entering, Re-opening and Re-imagining Task Force. This should serve to answer any questions you may have about returning to church.
For those who would prefer to view our livestreamed Mass, we are happy to offer this option. Please click on the date below to view or download our service bulletin:
Sunday, August 1, 2021 - 10:00 am
To access the livestream, click here: http://bit.ly/YouTubeDNJ
If you have any questions, please feel free to call the Cathedral office at (609) 392-3805.
Regards,
The Very Rev. René John
Dean
On Sunday, August 1, 2021 we will once again offer in-person worship at 10:00am for the tenth Sunday after Pentecost.
We still need to be careful, masking and social distancing. Below you will also find a link to the most recent recommendations for in-person worship from the Diocesan Re-entering, Re-opening and Re-imagining Task Force. This should serve to answer any questions you may have about returning to church.
For those who would prefer to view our livestreamed Mass, we are happy to offer this option. Please click on the date below to view or download our service bulletin:
Sunday, August 1, 2021 - 10:00 am
To access the livestream, click here: http://bit.ly/YouTubeDNJ
If you have any questions, please feel free to call the Cathedral office at (609) 392-3805.
Regards,
The Very Rev. René John
Dean
Meals and Food Support at Trinity Cathedral
While many events have been suspended, Trinity Cathedral continues to operate our Thursday evening
TASK meal program (5:00pm) and our Saturday Food Pantry (9-11:00am).
The following is our schedule for these programs for August:
August:
TASK Meals ON every Thursday
Food Pantry ON August 14th and 28th (2nd and 4th Saturdays, as usual)
TASK meal program (5:00pm) and our Saturday Food Pantry (9-11:00am).
The following is our schedule for these programs for August:
August:
TASK Meals ON every Thursday
Food Pantry ON August 14th and 28th (2nd and 4th Saturdays, as usual)
~ RECENT HEADLINES ~
The Bishop George E. Councell Memorial Golf Tournament
It was another good time, in spite of the misty weather. Congratulations to St. Martin's Church, Bridgewater, the winners of the 2020 Bishop's Cup! Enjoy the slideshow below, with some highlights of the day (Courtesy of Chris Gregory at Clutch Shot Pro Photography) . . .
(November 2020) Recommendations from the Diocesan Reentering, Reopening, Reimagining Task Force (RRR)
Letter from the RRR Task Force
COVID-19 Cases Rising
As COVID-19 cases rise across New Jersey, the Reentering, Reopening, Reimagining (RRR) Task Force recommends that congregations currently offering in-person worship and activities review their COVID mitigation protocols and consider whether or when it would be wise to further limit in-person gatherings.
We recommend that congregations give serious consideration to suspending in-person worship, and any fellowship or study gatherings, when the daily new case rate per 100K population for a county is at 25 or above. As of Wednesday afternoon, 19 of the 21 counties in the state are at or above that rate. Case rate information for New Jersey and individual counties can be found on this web page.
As a reminder, current guidance allows any congregation that currently has an approved worship and gathering plan to limit or suspend activities as needed, and to resume activities under your current plan when appropriate without further application to the Task Force. Please notify the Bishop's office of when services will only be offered virtually and when in-person worship will resume.
In addition, with the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays coming up, the RRR Task Force recommends that all congregations remind their members to check the New Jersey COVID travel advisory lists and to stay home from in-person church for two weeks if returning from holiday travel to a state on the list. As of Wednesday afternoon, 46 states are on that list.
Letter from the RRR Task Force
COVID-19 Cases Rising
As COVID-19 cases rise across New Jersey, the Reentering, Reopening, Reimagining (RRR) Task Force recommends that congregations currently offering in-person worship and activities review their COVID mitigation protocols and consider whether or when it would be wise to further limit in-person gatherings.
We recommend that congregations give serious consideration to suspending in-person worship, and any fellowship or study gatherings, when the daily new case rate per 100K population for a county is at 25 or above. As of Wednesday afternoon, 19 of the 21 counties in the state are at or above that rate. Case rate information for New Jersey and individual counties can be found on this web page.
As a reminder, current guidance allows any congregation that currently has an approved worship and gathering plan to limit or suspend activities as needed, and to resume activities under your current plan when appropriate without further application to the Task Force. Please notify the Bishop's office of when services will only be offered virtually and when in-person worship will resume.
In addition, with the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays coming up, the RRR Task Force recommends that all congregations remind their members to check the New Jersey COVID travel advisory lists and to stay home from in-person church for two weeks if returning from holiday travel to a state on the list. As of Wednesday afternoon, 46 states are on that list.
The following is the letter we received from Bishop Stokes and the Diocesan Reentering, Reopening and Reimagining Task Force Regarding Returning to In-Person Worship:
Dear Dean John,
The COVID-19 Reentering, Reopening and Reimagining Our Church Buildings Task Force has reviewed and approved the RRR plan submitted by Trinity Cathedral subject to the following limitations. While the questionnaire/diagram indicated that the nave was able to safely seat 150 people using distancing, this seems too high a number when maximum occupancy capacity is 300. Therefore, the nave seating should be limited to 60. Similarly, the questionnaire/diagram indicated that 12 people could be safely placed in the chancel. This, too, seems too high a number. No more than three persons should be in the chancel during a worship service. There should also be safe-distancing between the organist and any soloist/singer. With these conditions, please feel free to proceed in accordance with this plan. If you wish to make changes to the plan, please notify the Task Force and submit revisions for review. In the event of any known COVID-19 exposures or outbreaks at Trinity Cathedral, or among those who have used or use the buildings, you should notify Canon Phyllis Jones immediately.
I am grateful to you and the leadership of Trinity for the faithfulness, conscientiousness, patience and diligence you have shown throughout this crisis. I am especially grateful for the work of Trinity Cathedral member Dr. Phil Lewis for his incredible leadership as Co-Chair of the RRR Task Force, and to you for your strong leadership in helping to minister to the community of First Responders in the very difficult and challenging current ministry context.
Blessings and warm wishes,
+Chip
The COVID-19 Reentering, Reopening and Reimagining Our Church Buildings Task Force has reviewed and approved the RRR plan submitted by Trinity Cathedral subject to the following limitations. While the questionnaire/diagram indicated that the nave was able to safely seat 150 people using distancing, this seems too high a number when maximum occupancy capacity is 300. Therefore, the nave seating should be limited to 60. Similarly, the questionnaire/diagram indicated that 12 people could be safely placed in the chancel. This, too, seems too high a number. No more than three persons should be in the chancel during a worship service. There should also be safe-distancing between the organist and any soloist/singer. With these conditions, please feel free to proceed in accordance with this plan. If you wish to make changes to the plan, please notify the Task Force and submit revisions for review. In the event of any known COVID-19 exposures or outbreaks at Trinity Cathedral, or among those who have used or use the buildings, you should notify Canon Phyllis Jones immediately.
I am grateful to you and the leadership of Trinity for the faithfulness, conscientiousness, patience and diligence you have shown throughout this crisis. I am especially grateful for the work of Trinity Cathedral member Dr. Phil Lewis for his incredible leadership as Co-Chair of the RRR Task Force, and to you for your strong leadership in helping to minister to the community of First Responders in the very difficult and challenging current ministry context.
Blessings and warm wishes,
+Chip
Click here to read: A Pastoral Statement from the Bishop of New Jersey: April 15, 2020
Bishop Stokes Announces Immediate Suspension of Public Worship Services
’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40
In my previous communications regarding the COVID-19 Crisis, I stated that the situation was fluid and that we would evaluate and adjust our practices as necessary. After prayer and deliberate consideration, and in consultation with others, I have determined that we need to take more proactive steps to protect people and help stem the spread of the Coronavirus.
Effective immediately, I am directing all churches in the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey to suspend public worship services and all other non-essential public gatherings until further notice. We will re-evaluate this decision as Holy Week approaches to determine whether it is safe and appropriate to re-open our buildings to our congregants and the wider public at that time.
I met earlier today with approx. 70 of our diocesan clergy and there was general agreement as to how we should proceed. Love and concern for the people of God led us overwhelmingly to discern together that safeguarding the people entrusted to our care called for this decision. We recognize that it requires a high degree of sacrifice from all 140 congregations across our diocesan community and the people they serve.
The Governor of the State of New Jersey has declared a state of emergency. Experts in the field of public health are strongly urging all of us to limit person-to-person contact. The primary objective in all of this is to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, thereby protecting the health of everyone. This applies especially to the most vulnerable – those over age 60 and those with underlying health concerns.
I am encouraging all churches to begin livestreaming worship services and am directing diocesan staff to assist with this process. A special web site is being set up at coronavirus.dioceseofnj.org to distribute the latest information including scheduled online worship services.
Clergy and staff at each congregation will be working to support and uplift their congregations through this difficult time through phone calls, video conferencing, email, and other communications means as appropriate.
Further, all face-to-face meetings of Diocesan groups and committees will be moved to video conferencing. Diocesan staff will work from home as much as their responsibilities allow.
Each church community may have essential services (examples might include funerals, feeding programs, etc.) that must continue. In these instances it is expected that any groups involved will follow all recommended protocols and precautions set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New Jersey Dept. of Health.
We remain a community of believers; we remain the church. The ways in which we come together in community will need to change in the short term, but our one purpose always remain the same: to form people as disciples of Jesus Christ so they can flourish as human beings, alleviate the world’s suffering, and participate in God’s mission of reconciliation.
Faithfully yours in Christ,
The Right Reverend William H. Stokes, D.D.
12th Bishop of New Jersey
In my previous communications regarding the COVID-19 Crisis, I stated that the situation was fluid and that we would evaluate and adjust our practices as necessary. After prayer and deliberate consideration, and in consultation with others, I have determined that we need to take more proactive steps to protect people and help stem the spread of the Coronavirus.
Effective immediately, I am directing all churches in the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey to suspend public worship services and all other non-essential public gatherings until further notice. We will re-evaluate this decision as Holy Week approaches to determine whether it is safe and appropriate to re-open our buildings to our congregants and the wider public at that time.
I met earlier today with approx. 70 of our diocesan clergy and there was general agreement as to how we should proceed. Love and concern for the people of God led us overwhelmingly to discern together that safeguarding the people entrusted to our care called for this decision. We recognize that it requires a high degree of sacrifice from all 140 congregations across our diocesan community and the people they serve.
The Governor of the State of New Jersey has declared a state of emergency. Experts in the field of public health are strongly urging all of us to limit person-to-person contact. The primary objective in all of this is to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, thereby protecting the health of everyone. This applies especially to the most vulnerable – those over age 60 and those with underlying health concerns.
I am encouraging all churches to begin livestreaming worship services and am directing diocesan staff to assist with this process. A special web site is being set up at coronavirus.dioceseofnj.org to distribute the latest information including scheduled online worship services.
Clergy and staff at each congregation will be working to support and uplift their congregations through this difficult time through phone calls, video conferencing, email, and other communications means as appropriate.
Further, all face-to-face meetings of Diocesan groups and committees will be moved to video conferencing. Diocesan staff will work from home as much as their responsibilities allow.
Each church community may have essential services (examples might include funerals, feeding programs, etc.) that must continue. In these instances it is expected that any groups involved will follow all recommended protocols and precautions set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New Jersey Dept. of Health.
We remain a community of believers; we remain the church. The ways in which we come together in community will need to change in the short term, but our one purpose always remain the same: to form people as disciples of Jesus Christ so they can flourish as human beings, alleviate the world’s suffering, and participate in God’s mission of reconciliation.
Faithfully yours in Christ,
The Right Reverend William H. Stokes, D.D.
12th Bishop of New Jersey
