The following message was sent to the parish on Friday morning, December 24th, from Rector Mike Kinman:
Dear Ones,
All Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services at All Saints Church will be held in-person as scheduled (3:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. today and 10:30 am tomorrow). All Christmas Eve services will also be livestreamed on our website, Facebook and YouTube.
Out of an abundance of caution, the Christmas Carol Sing-Along scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Sunday, December 26, has been canceled, as has the youth caroling party at the rectory scheduled for Monday night. Poinsettia delivery is postponed until next Wednesday.
A few reminders: Everyone who attends worship in person must be masked, indoors and outside. The mask must cover your nose and mouth, and N95 or KN95 masks offer the best protection for yourself and others.
Our expectation is that everyone attending in person is vaccinated to the maximum extent they are eligible. If you are eligible to be vaccinated and choose not to, we strongly urge you to reconsider that choice and also ask that until you do, you only participate online. Children who are not yet eligible for vaccination are welcome – however we will not be gathering children around the table at communion.
If you are vaccinated and not yet boosted, you are welcome to attend in person, but please be aware that you are without the added protection the booster provides. If you have not done so already, please schedule your booster as soon as possible. Find a location at myturn.ca.gov
We are continuing to monitor the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID in our region for possible protocol changes using the same three-tiered system we have used since early in the pandemic – listening to the mandates and advice of state and local government and public health officials, the bishop, and our own “resident epidemiologist,” Dr. Nicole Gatto, who is both well-versed in what is happening with COVID and the particularities of All Saints Church.
As of this morning, there have been no changes in either state, local or diocesan mandates or advice that fall outside of what we are already doing for in-person worship. Over the past 24 hours, Sally Howard has been in regular touch with Dr. Gatto, who concurs that our current protocols are excellent common sense risk reduction and still appropriate to the current situation.
That said, we believe everyone needs to make the decision that fits their own comfort level and is best for them and their families. We are blessed with a gifted crew livestreaming our services so please know you can participate and enjoy Christmas Eve at All Saints wherever you are.
As we have throughout this pandemic, we have informed our staff that any member who feels unsafe coming to campus should feel free to stay home. On this night where we remember God’s deep love for us all, our priority is to embody and share God’s safe love with one another.
Con el amor de Cristo,
Mike
Mike Kinman, Rector
All Saints Church, Pasadena
Iglesia Todos los Santos
