October 12, 2020: Bishop George E. Councell Memorial Golf Tournament postponed due to rain! Our new date is Monday, October 26th!
In case they haven't received word, please notify the others in your foursome or group of the postponement.
~ 2020 Trinity Cathedral Golf Committee
It's Time to Hit the Links!
Click Below to Support the Bishop George E. Councell Memorial Golf Tournament
Trinity Cathedral to Continue In-Person & Livestream Worship on Sunday, October 25th!
Dear Sisters & Brothers,
We are continuing to offer in-person worship at the Cathedral this Sunday, along with a livestream for everyone at home.
Given that we are still in the midst of a pandemic, we are going to be operating under certain protocols and restrictions.
Persons attending in-person worship will need to wear masks and socially distance. Please enter through the parking lot doors only. We have lots of sanitizing stations and we ask everyone to be mindful of the need to be sensitive to each person's concerns and sensitivities. Right now we are limited to sixty persons attending and we are asking everyone to register in order to be in compliance with this restriction: Please E-mail patriceattrinity@aol.com or call the Cathedral office at (609) 392-3805 ext. 100.
We unfortunately are still not permitted to sing at worship services. We will endeavor to do our best to have beautiful music.
We are grateful to be able to continue livestreaming worship for those not yet ready to attend in person.
Sometimes congregations have experienced problems transmitting on a given Sunday, so please be patient. Thanks to Canon Steve Welch and Chris Gregory, who will be our point persons for these efforts to livestream.
If you cannot be present for in-person worship, we invite you to watch it LIVE on YouTube using the following link:
http://bit.ly/YouTubeDNJ
To follow along with our service bulletin at home, click here
(Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from OneLicense with license # A-733570.)
Please stay tuned as we move forward in faith.
Respectfully,
The Very Rev. Rene John, Dean
The following is the letter we received from Bishop Stokes and the Diocesan Task Force:
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
We are continuing to offer in-person worship at the Cathedral this Sunday, along with a livestream for everyone at home.
Given that we are still in the midst of a pandemic, we are going to be operating under certain protocols and restrictions.
Persons attending in-person worship will need to wear masks and socially distance. Please enter through the parking lot doors only. We have lots of sanitizing stations and we ask everyone to be mindful of the need to be sensitive to each person's concerns and sensitivities. Right now we are limited to sixty persons attending and we are asking everyone to register in order to be in compliance with this restriction: Please E-mail patriceattrinity@aol.com or call the Cathedral office at (609) 392-3805 ext. 100.
We unfortunately are still not permitted to sing at worship services. We will endeavor to do our best to have beautiful music.
We are grateful to be able to continue livestreaming worship for those not yet ready to attend in person.
Sometimes congregations have experienced problems transmitting on a given Sunday, so please be patient. Thanks to Canon Steve Welch and Chris Gregory, who will be our point persons for these efforts to livestream.
If you cannot be present for in-person worship, we invite you to watch it LIVE on YouTube using the following link:
http://bit.ly/YouTubeDNJ
To follow along with our service bulletin at home, click here
(Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from OneLicense with license # A-733570.)
Please stay tuned as we move forward in faith.
Respectfully,
The Very Rev. Rene John, Dean
The following is the letter we received from Bishop Stokes and the Diocesan Task Force:
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
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
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