An Update on Our Return to In-Person Worship
Dear Parish Family and Friends,
As we move into the fall semester, we are diligently preparing for a careful return to in-person worship. Our planned first Sunday of in-person worship will be Sunday, September 20. Below are Frequently Asked Questions to help you decide whether to attend worship in person or continue to worship from home via our livestreamed services. My email to you next Tuesday, September 15, will included the registration links for in-person worship. Each week, my Tuesday email to the parish will continue to be the venue through which registration opens for the following Sunday.
I continue to pray for you daily — for health, safety, and equanimity during these days. Even in the midst of challenge, our God of grace grants us hope and joy. I have both in full measure as we prepare for a season of worship, formation, and outreach. Blessings to you!
Grace and peace,
The Very Reverend Barkley Thompson, Dean
Return to In-Person Worship
Frequently Asked Questions
When will we return to in-person worship?
Our current plan is to resume in-person worship on Sunday, September 20.
Will we hold all the services on that day?
On Sunday, September 20, we will hold in-person worship with the Holy Eucharist, Rite I, at 11 a.m. and Holy Eucharist in Spanish at 1 p.m. The Well at 5 p.m. will continue to be livestreamed, but it will not be in-person on September 20. We will continue to gauge registration demand for additional services, and we will add services in future weeks to meet demand.
Can I still stay home and participate in the service?
Yes! Online livestreamed worship continues at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 5 p.m. Livestreamed services are available on the Cathedral website, Vimeo page, and Facebook page.
What do I need to do to attend a service?
Advance registration is required for all services. In the parish email next Tuesday, September 15, there will be links to register for the 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in-person services.
Is there a way to make a reservation by phone?
Yes. You may call the Cathedral main number 713.222.2593 and ask to leave a message for Elizabeth Cuevas.
Are there any restrictions about who can come to church?
Everyone is welcome to come to church!
Should I come to church or continue to participate online?
If you are in any at-risk category or have concerns about your health or safety, or the health and safety of the people in your household, you are encouraged to consider continuing to worship with the Cathedral from home, through our livestreamed worship. We love you and want you to do what is best for you and those you love!
What will our return to in-person worship look like?
Because COVID-19 continues to be a daily reality, Bishop Doyle has issued guidelines to keep us all safe. At least for a season, in-person worship will look and feel different from the worship to which we are accustomed.
How many people can come to church with the distancing guidelines?
At least initially, attendance will be limited to 60 worshipers per service, so that we can ensure physical distancing guidelines.
How will the seating process work?
Plan to arrive at the Cathedral at least ten minutes before your registered service time. Late arrivals cannot be guaranteed a seat.
At the time of the service you are registered to attend, please come to the Cathedral with confirmation of your reservation, whether that is with a printed copy of your “ticket” or with the confirmation viewable on your mobile device. If you’ve reserved your seat by calling the Cathedral office, a greeter will have your name on a list. Once you’ve arrived on campus, a friendly Welcome Team member will walk you through your next steps, and an usher will show you to your seat.
Will people be wearing masks?
As required by diocesan guidelines, we will all wear masks that cover both mouth and nose while on the Cathedral campus, with the exception of small children.
What about music?
Due to evidence of community viral spread through singing, there will be no congregational hymnody. A soloist or small choral ensemble will provide sacred music, along with organ, keyboard (at 1 p.m.), or our trio of harp, cello, and flute (at The Well).
Will we have Communion?
We will celebrate the Holy Eucharist at each service, though only bread will be shared. We will not share wine at this time. This is called “Communion in one kind,” and it is a full measure of grace.
What safety precautions will be taken at Communion?
The way Communion is administered will be different: At the end of the Eucharistic Prayer, the celebrant will bless the people. The deacon will take the consecrated wafers to an altar near the east transept. Ushers will dismiss you, pew by pew. As you process out of the Cathedral, the deacon will hand you a wafer from the east transept altar.
How can I take Communion with a mask on?
Please remove your mask only long enough to consume your wafer.
What about my children?
Children of all ages are welcome in church, as always. We will not initially offer childcare.
How will I get to church with impaired mobility issues?
Our valet service will be available for the principal morning services. For those in need of wheelchair access or extra assistance, please arrive 15 minutes early. This will allow extra time to get you checked in for the service. An usher will escort you into the cathedral via one of our transept entrances.
Will we have the Dean’s Hour?
This fall, the Dean’s Hour will continue as the “Dean’s Hour Matinee” at 2 p.m. on Facebook Live and Zoom. Join Dean Thompson for a fall program of interesting and faith-filled lectures and programs!
What about Sunday School?
Virtual Formation Hour will continue online at 10 a.m. for children and youth. We have great fall programs planned! Email Minister for Children and Families KariAnn Lessner for the children’s Zoom link at
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and email Minister for Youth Marcia Quintanilla at
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for the youth Zoom link.
What do you mean “livestreamed?”
Those at home will encounter worship live alongside those gathered in the Cathedral. Worship is broadcast live (not pre-recorded) at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 5 p.m. If you choose to watch livestreamed worship on the Cathedral’s Facebook page, a priest will be on Facebook to interact with you and take prayer requests throughout the service.
If the livestream has problems, what can I do?
Even the best technology sometimes doesn’t work perfectly. Sometimes this is an issue with our host site, Vimeo. If the livestream freezes or doesn’t air as it should on the platform you are watching, we encourage you to switch to another platform. If the Cathedral website freezes, go directly to Vimeo’s website. If Vimeo’s site doesn’t play correctly, try the Cathedral’s Facebook page. Also know that the livestream is retained as a recorded video on the website. You can always watch it after 11 a.m. The recorded video may stream with no problems.
Is there anyone at the Cathedral who can walk me through technical issues?
Minister for Pastoral Care Jody Gillit has a team of people who can work with you to improve your ability to access online offerings, including worship services, classes, and events. You can reach her at
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What if there is another surge of the virus?
We will monitor local COVID-19 conditions weekly. It is possible that we may need to suspend in-person worship again in the future.
Supporting the Cathedral
Even as we worship from home, the Cathedral is engaged in ministry. Our pastoral care, outreach, worship, and program ministries of the Cathedral carry on, and supporting Cathedral ministries is as important as ever. You can make your offering in any of these ways:
· Visit the Cathedral Give page to find out the many ways you can support our church.
· Make an offering or give in other ways using PayPal.
· Text the word “Give” to 888-998-1634.
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