Dear Saint Anthony Faithful:
We hope that you and your families continue to stay safe and resilient during these challenging times!
The work to prepare St. Anthony for a return of our cherished parishioners is in full swing – however we are not there yet. The news of restrictions being gradually lifted in our communities is welcome news and increases our excitement to return to church, however it does not signal an end to this pandemic or the challenges we still face. The health and safety of our parishioners and our community continues to be of paramount importance to us.
As much as we all wish we could immediately go back to church life the way it was before the pandemic, this is not possible right now. The Readiness Team we have assembled is working diligently to adapt to the guidelines provided by the Metropolis, as well as our civil authorities. It is important we approach this in a thoughtful and thorough way.
If you have not yet had a chance, we encourage you to watch the message shared by Metropolitan Gerasimos last week. This 10-minute video provides insight, wisdom, and inspiration to carry with us as we work together to navigate the path before us.
https://sanfran.goarch.org/news/restoring-parish-life
It is important to remember that when we can welcome parishioners back, things will be quite different and there will be noticeable changes. Fewer parishioners in the pews, face masks, social distancing, new ways to enter, exit, and move about the church, no choir and no coffee fellowship are just some of the things that will be temporarily changed for the immediate future. As you experience these adjustments, please keep in mind they are being done in love with the goal of keeping everyone as safe as possible.
What you can look forward to in the coming days -
· Regular email updates on reopening details as they are being determined - i.e., church capacity, sign up procedures & attendance guidelines
· A return of Live Streaming of our Services – thank you to those who have made donations towards new equipment and offered their time to help improve our stability and quality
· Enhancements to our Website - for easier access to reopening information
In closing, I’d like to offer words of guidance from our Metropolitan…”As we being to take the steps to return to our churches in the days ahead, may each of us continue to draw upon those qualities – of faith, patience, understanding, civility and even humor – that have carried us through these difficult days, but most importantly our love for one another.”
My appreciation and gratitude to the many people in leadership roles in our parish who have truly stepped up to the plate (listed below)! We are grateful for the offering of their time and talent to help coordinate the life of our parish and ready our beloved St. Anthony Church for the return of our parishioners.
Thank you for your patience and good will, and we look forward to seeing you soon!
With love in the Risen Christ,
Father Stephen & the Parish Readiness Team
Additional Resources:
More Details on Expected Changes:
Reopening our Parishes - Letter to the Faithful
Restoring Parish Life Flyer
SF Metropolis & Archdiocese Coronavirus Resources:
https://sanfran.goarch.org/pages/coronavirus-resource-page
https://www.goarch.org/covid19
Health & Safety Guidelines:
https://covid19washoe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Washoe-County-Phase-2-Guidelines2.pdf
Saint Anthony GOC Readiness Team Leaders:
· Jim Phillips – Overall Readiness & Greeters/Ushers
· Andreia Pop – Parish “Health Officer”
· Maria Borrego – Health & Safety Lead
· Eric DoBroka – Regulatory Compliance Lead
· Dimi Sakelarios – Communication Lead
· Father Stephen/ Danilo Simich – Liturgical Practices & Worship Lead
Festival Update -
The prayers of the Festival Committee for good health and resilience are with our parishioners, our community and our world in these uncertain times. We have been paying close attention to the safety, health and social distance guidelines as they continue to evolve, leveraging information from both our church hierarchy and civil authorities.
We continue to approach the challenges of this pandemic with optimism and an open-mind, but as time has progressed and more information is known the probable realities for our festival are starting to emerge. This includes hosting a significantly reduced event, with minimal (if any) ability to allow patrons to gather and possible cancellation.
We understand the weight and implication of such decisions about our festival. We are meeting on a regular basis to reflect on the guidelines unfolding before us and brainstorming on creative ideas to adapt. We find inspiration in the leadership of our Metropolis and Archdiocese, keeping faith in God and the safety of parishioners, guests and communities as our top priorities.
Our sights are set on the first week of June to settle on a path forward. This will give us the opportunity to learn from the outcomes of Phase I, as well as gather more information on the exact guidelines of Phase II, which will be critical for our planning and preparation activities over the summer. We aim to present a recommended plan to the Parish Council at their June 14th meeting and will provide an update to our entire parish community shortly thereafter.
All ideas, suggestions and questions are welcome and appreciated. Please email them to Dimi at renogreekfestival@yahoo.com.
Resources From our Metropolis Church Music Federation Ministry
I am so very pleased to send along this week’s music instruction videos with supplemental scores in Greek, English, Byzantine and Western staff notation. I continue to be encouraged by the pedagogy of Christopher Hondros and our Church Music Development Team, packing such a great amount of learning into these short videos. My background has been almost entirely in polyphonic music in staff notation, so I have been really growing in my understanding of Byzantine music these past weeks and know what I’ve learned will support my skill and understanding of what I will sing in my choir once we are able to fully participate again. I pray that you are enjoying these videos and considering ways they may be useful in your parish.
Ascension Apolytikion and Kontakion:
https://www.loom.com/share/005e1662216a463487c77be95983bab3
Plagal 2nd "It Is Truly Right":
https://www.loom.com/share/61e17af90ef449be92d34a3768b4bf6a
The shared folder with the entire collection of instructional videos: https://loom.com/share/folder/9157e7d0760b41e6b6c1a95d0fbefd1a
SCORES:
Apolytikion: https://www.agesinitiatives.com/dcs/m/dedes/en/pe/d110/ve/w/apolytikion1.pdf
Kontakion:https://www.agesinitiatives.com/dcs/m/dedes/en/pe/d110/li/w/seasonalkontakion.pdf
Byzantine Notation:
https://music.stanthonysmonastery.org/Chrys/bm0760_It%20is%20truly%20right%20-%20Mode%206%20-%20Phokaeus.pdf
Staff Notation:
https://music.stanthonysmonastery.org/Chrys/Finale%202003%20-%20%5Bm0760_It%20is%20truly%20right%20-%20Mode%206%20-%20Phokaeus.pdf
God give you all the strength, patience, and grace you need to serve the Lord in your parishes.
Respectfully,
Kay Harkins
Ministry Chair
GOMSF Church Music Federation Ministry
sfchurchmusic.org
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