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From the Clergy

Worship Under the Oak

I am so excited that we can start offering some in-person worship opportunities at Nativity. I’m sure you all are tired of hearing me say, “I miss you.” But it’s true – I miss you. I want to see your faces, even if they are partially behind a mask.

The Diocese of North Carolina’s reopening plan allows us to gather outside for worship in groups of 25. We will stay 6 feet apart from one another, and we will wear masks.

What does this mean for Nativity?

We will start small on Sundays with a Morning Prayer service at 8am and an Evening Prayer service at 7pm. We will experiment for a few weeks and see how it goes. Since attendance at the services is limited, if we find we need additional times to accommodate everyone who wants to worship in person, we will look to add other opportunities.

How will this work?

Signup will be available for two weeks before the service in the weekly email. The Friday before the service date, we will email you a brief pre-screening questionnaire and ask that you complete it that day.

What happens on Sunday?

Bring your mask, and bring a lawn chair. We will arrange seating under the oak tree, six feet apart. We will send a bulletin before the service that you can print at home or read on your device. As you get settled, we will check your name off the list, and might ask you if anything has changed since you completed the health questionnaire.

What if it rains?

If it rains, we won’t have the service at that time. We will send an email to the group signed up a half hour before the service begins if it is raining at church and the service is cancelled. But, it might be the case that you arrive, and it has started to rain, and we aren’t able to proceed. I will ask you to be patient and be flexible.

Will we still have a service online?

Yes. We will continue with our main service at 10:30 am on Sunday mornings. Please join us on Facebook or YouTube to participate.

I’m very excited to try this. I’m very excited to worship in person and on our church grounds once again. There will be more to come for online offerings for the fall for worship, fellowship, and formation.