The Christ Church Regathering Team: The Rev. Nick Morris-Kliment, vestry member Annie Russell, and parishioners Joe Barr, Abby Carr, Brian Mukherjee and Nancy Stern
Next meeting: Spring 2021
Click here for Covid-19 resources for worship, pastoral care, and dealing with stress and anxiety.
August 29, 2022 – Fall 2022 Covid-19 Guidelines from the Diocese
The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts published updated guidelines for Fall 2022. Read them here.
June 21, 2022 – Covid Respite
CCN’s Covid Respite begins Friday, June 24. The Church Office will be closed Friday, June 24 through Friday, July 1 and will reopen Tuesday, July 5.
- Worship on Sundays June 26 and July 3 will be Morning Prayer at 9am with no live stream.
- The Altar Guild will have those Sundays off.
- No church meetings are scheduled.
- Our sabbatical priest Lauren Lukason will be in on Tuesday, June 28 for office hours, and available on her cell phone for pastoral emergencies.
April 17, 2021 – We are “Mask Friendly” – Masks are not required, but kindness is
By Vestry decision, we are mask friendly in worship and in the church building effective immediately. Every other pew will be blocked off through Easter, then opened up on April 24. While masks are no longer required, please be kind to those who choose to wear masks.
December 23, 2021
In accordance with the Diocesan Policy, instated on November 15 and which remains in effect:
REQUIRED: Mask wearing by everyone 5 and over, if not medically contraindicated.
REQUIRED: Maintain physical distancing (6 ft. or more) between households at all indoor gatherings.
REQUIRED: Sit in alternate pews with those in your household.
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED: Double masks.
VACCINES: In alignment with Diocesan recommendations, we strongly urge vaccination and booster shots against the coronavirus for all our members as soon as they are eligible.
September 1, 2021
Masks are required at all times during service AND for all church groups, meetings, and activities. This applies to all individuals over 12, regardless of vaccination status, unless a medical condition prohibits them from wearing a mask.
- Small children and those for whom a mask is contraindicated by a health condition are exempt from masking.
- Maintain physical distance by household in worship.
- Follow instructions from the Celebrant regarding Communion.
- Observe common-sense CDC practices in Coffee Hour. Re-mask when not eating or drinking.
August 29, 2021
Out of love for our neighbor and in accordance with revised Diocesan Policy, effective August 25: Masks are required at all times while in Sunday worship, regardless of vaccination status. This is a change from the policy earlier in summer. View the updated guidelines here.
August 16, 2021
The Diocese of Massachusetts published update Covid-19 requirements and recommendations effective August 25, 2021. Read the pastoral message here.
June 17, 2021
The guidelines were updated after the first inside, in-person gathering on June 13. View them here.
June 10, 2021
We are excited to regather inside, in-person starting this Sunday. Registration is no longer required and all doors to the church will be open. View the updated guidelines here.
May 20, 2021
Bishops Gates and Harris released a pastoral letter today with updated Regathering Guidelines. Read the letter here. While more restrictive than the Commonwealth guidelines, the effect is still to permit more freedom, and to empower local leadership to make decisions in keeping with their particular contexts. Your Regathering Team, Wardens, Rector and staff will carefully consider these new parameters, and make any revisions that seem prudent to our current plans, which are scheduled here. It will be a wonderful to be together again. Thank you for your patience. The past two Sundays we have worshipped in-person in our lovely in our Memorial Garden. Thank you to all who have come. We look forward to worshipping with you in-person this Sunday at 8:30 a.m. in the Memorial Garden.
April 29, 2021
Your Vestry, Regathering Team, and Worship and Arts Team have approved an experimental time of in person, outdoor worship starting on May 9, Mother’s Day. We have also initiated the Diocesan process necessary to begin in person, indoor worship starting June 13. The overarching schedule is given here.
April 15, 2021
The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts released a statement with updated Covid-19 guidelines.
March 5, 2021
The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts released a pastoral letter with updated Covid-19 guidelines.
November 19, 2020 – Updated pandemic guidelines from the Diocese
Read the message from the Bishops’ updated pandemic guidelines here.
October 30, 2020 – Notes from the October 21 meeting
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Our Regathering Committee met October 21 to review our current status in the pandemic and review the findings of our recent parish survey regarding parishioners’ views on the reopening of the church. Note: if you have not yet taken the survey, click here we still want to hear from you! View the results of the survey here.
Two truths are evident from the Regathering Committee’s discussions and the survey results—we all miss worshipping together as a body in the church, and we are not yet in circumstances that would allow us to welcome parishioners safely back into the church for regular worship. As we move forward, our guiding principles continue to be ensuring the safety of the church community first, to consider input from our church community on decisions, and to be guided by data, not dates, as we consider when and how best to reopen. In consultation with both the Diocese and consistent with state and local laws, we will continue to pursue two paths. First, we will continue to improve the technology that does allow us to gather together each Sunday, buying new equipment and making sure that it is reliable and easy to use to ensure worshippers can easily access our virtual services. (LIVE at ccneedham.org or on our Facebook page and watch past services on our Youtube channel).
Second, we will be creative in the upcoming extended Advent season in identifying events we can safely hold outdoors, drawing on the experience of our successful blessing of the animals earlier this month. In addition, with Diocesan approval we are offering “In and Out” communion on November 15 & 29 and December 20. Details to come. Safely refreshing our connections with each other, being creative about our worship together, doing what we can amid the safety constraints—we remain confident and excited that we will experience God’s blessings in our extended Advent, as we wait and reflect in anticipation of his birth.
September 15, 2020 -Worship Remains online for now
In late June, the Regathering Team decided Christ Church should continue worship on-line only. The last week of August, the Team checked in with one another and reaffirmed that initial course of action. We will be worshipping on-line for the foreseeable future. The Team will Zoom again in mid-October to reevaluate our course after schools have been open for six or so weeks, based on the most current health data. Although we long for the fellowship of in-person worship, our virtual worship is what love looks like for now. Thank you for your patience. Please contact any member of the team or Nick with questions or concerns. Regathering Team: Joe Barr, Abbey Carr, Brian Mukherjee, Annie Russell, Nancy Stern, and Nick Morris-Kliment, Rector
September 3, 2020
Covid-19 update from Canon Bill Parnell
August 27, 2020
Read the latest update from the Christ Church Regathering Team here.
August 6, 2020
Covid-19 update from the Massachusetts Diocese, including Expanded Stage Two Regathering Guidelines for Communion, Pastoral Visits, Baptism, Youth Ministry
July 2, 2020
The Christ Church “Regathering Team” met on June 30, 2020 to determine when Christ Church would be ready to come together in person for worship. Read their initial report here.
June 16, 2020
Click here to read “A Journey By Stages”, guidelines issued jointly by both Massachusetts Episcopal dioceses in mid-May.
