Welcome to Christ Church Cathedral on this Day of the Resurrection, the day at the center of our lives as Christians, followers of the risen, living Jesus Christ.
Every element of our worship today is infused with joy—the sacred words of scripture, the glorious music, the beautiful flowers, the joy-filled voices and faces of the gathered family of God. Our worship together in person this year is made all the more special because of its absence last year. We are thankful to be together again for this holiest day of the year.
And yet, we cannot—and should not—forget the full reality of the losses of the past year and our continuing struggle with the pandemic that has not yet ended. Our awareness of the need for ongoing caution has led us to continue limited seating capacity, social distancing, the wearing of masks, communion in one kind only, and keeping our worship time within one hour. I am thankful for the willingness of the Cathedral Family to extend in good spirit such care for each other, and for all others.
Some of us continue to exercise the caution of refraining from in-person gathering. The limitations on our capacity mean that we cannot gather in the numbers we have previously enjoyed. For these reasons, and in loving outreach to all others, we continue to live stream and record our worship. We welcome everyone who joins us remotely today; please know you are a vital part of our worship and our life together in Christ, wherever you are.
We continue to pray for those who have died, for all who have experienced the loss of loved ones this year, for all who have experienced financial hardship, for all who have struggled with new and difficult demands in work, school, and family life. And we give thanks for the caregivers, medical professionals, and front-line workers who have given so much of themselves over the last year.
On this Day of the Resurrection, we look forward with hope and confidence to the healing of the world and the new life that is coming into being.
The Lord is risen indeed!
Alleluia!
Beverly+
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