COVID-19 Information – Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church

+ NOTICES REGARDING UPCOMING SERVICES+

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church Reopening Guidelines

UPDATED November 1, 2014

Mask are recommended for those who are immunocompromised. Any changes to the mask requirement will be provided in St. Stephen’s Update.

For most services, everyone will enter and exit through the nave doors. We may maintain social distancing between households during the service.

At the Lord’s Prayer, if you choose, please only hold hands with family members sitting next to you. Thank you for respecting the personal space and choices of others.

Please place any gifts in the plate upon entering the building or continue to mail in your gifts or donate online. At the Offertory, there may be an opportunity for you to place your offering in the plate before the usher takes the offering to the altar. However, there is not always an usher available. Thank you for your continued support!

At Communion, please wait for the usher to guide you to the front for communion. Please make sure to continue respecting social distancing while waiting for communion. Communion may be in one kind.

We are adhering to protocols for ventilation to move fresh air throughout the space. Please dress accordingly.

We are thankful for your commitment to follow these guidelines as we care for the safety and health of our community.

+ NOTICES REGARDING UPCOMING SERVICES+

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church Reopening Guidelines

UPDATED March 31, 2023

Mask are recommended but not required to enter the building. Thank you for keeping yourself and others safe while you are at St. Stephen’s. Any changes to the mask requirement will be provided in St. Stephen’s Update.

A sign-in sheet is at the front door for contact tracing. If you do contact COVID-19 and have been in the nave within five days prior, please contact the office immediately at saintstephens@valornet.com.

For most services, everyone will enter and exit through the nave doors. We will maintain social distancing between households for the duration of the service. Once you are seated by the usher you are to remain at your seats until you are ushered out.

The nave space is arranged to allow for social distancing. At the Peace, please remain at your seats. You can greet members in your same household with a handshake, hug, etc., but please keep physical distance and bow or give the peace sign to others in the congregation. Also, at the Lord’s Prayer, if you choose, please only hold hands with family members sitting next to you. Thank you for respecting the personal space and choices of others.

At Communion, please wait for the usher to guide you to the front for communion. Please make sure to continue respecting social distancing while waiting for communion. Communion may be in one kind.

We are adhering to protocols for ventilation to move fresh air throughout the space. Please dress accordingly.

We are thankful for your commitment to follow these guidelines as we care for the safety and health of our community.

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EFFECTIVE March, 1, 2022

We will be holding our services in the nave and on Zoom. Masks are required and we are social distancing.

EFFECTIVE Sunday, January 31, 2022

We will be holding our services on Zoom (virtual only -no in person) for the month due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in our area.

EFFECTIVE Sunday, January 9, 2022

We will be holding our services on Zoom (virtual only -no in person) for the remainder of the month due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in our area.

Prior notices regarding COVID-19 (From March 2020 – June 2021)

EFFECTIVE SUNDAY, March 29, 2020

After watching the Governor’s press conference on Monday, March 23 with the Stay-at-Home Order, we have decided to ‘pause’ our at church live stream until such time as we feel it it safe for our clergy and those laity who are assisting with the live stream to come together safely. The health and safety of everyone is our greatest concern.

There will still be a limited presence maintained at the parish. Karen and Ethan will be at the parish on occasion to continue with projects that were in process, continue with the deep cleaning that was just getting under way and to check on the facilities.

While we greatly miss the opportunity to worship together in person, please know that this change is out of the abundance of caution and for the safety of our congregation.

UPDATE April 24, 2020

Starting Sunday, April 26, 2020, Mother Pamela Cottrell Shier will be leading us in a Zoom service of Holy Eucharist with Spiritual Communion at 10:30 AM. You can join either online or via phone. Please contact the office (saintstephens@valornet.com) to get the connection (member ID) information.

Mother Pamela has been doing a service of Compline evenings at 6:00 PM and has been sharing the service to our Facebook Page. She does the service live on her page and then posts the service to our page at about 6:10 PM every evening.

UPDATE June 1, 2020

Beginning with Pentecost Sunday, May 31, we started utilizing Morning Prayer Rite II for our 10:30 AM service via Zoom. If you would like to join us Sunday Mornings on Zoom and are not on the weekly Saturday Update, please contact the office at saintstephens@valornet.com. The parish remains closed to public gatherings.

UPDATE August 1, 2020

We continue with our weekly zoom service on Sunday mornings. We are using Morning Prayer Rite II. If you would like the link to join us, please contact the office at saintstephens@valornet.com. All twelve groups are meeting virtually. The parish remains closed to public gatherings.

UPDATE September 15, 2020

Thank you to everyone who joined us for two fall clean up days on the church grounds Saturdays September 5 and 12. We were able to clean up the courtyard, the Liz Saunders Memorial/Serenity Garden and safely remove some overgrown brush from the back yard.

We continue to meet on Sunday Mornings at 10:30 AM via Zoom. If you would like the link to join us, please contact the office at saintstephens@valornet.com. The parish remains closed to public gathers. All twelve step groups continue to meet virtually – please contact your meeting coordinator for further information.

UPDATE October 1, 2020

UPDATE November 28, 2020

UPDATE: February 1, 2021

UPDATE: June 1, 2021

To view the Diocese of the Rio Grande’s COVID-19 response page, please visit https://drgresponds.squarespace.com,

The New Mexico Department of Health’s number is 855-600-3453 for information or if you believe you might have COVID-19. The New Mexico Department of Health’s website: https://cv.nmhealth.org/

If you, or anyone you know needs help with childcare, food, supplies or loss of income due to COVID-19 please call 833-551-0518.
The state is offering help to New Mexico elders. The Aging and Long Term Services Department says if you’re an elder or a disabled adult who cannot access groceries to call the number 800-432-2080. All you have to do is leave a message and the department will get back to you.

Rio Arriba County’s Health Advisory has a resource website, https://www.rioarribahealthadvisory.org. To receive current information on coronavirus 2019 (abbreviated COVID-19), please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website at www.cdc.gov.