From the Diocesan Restart Team Guidelines for Church Feeding Programs and use of Church Kitchens There is an urgent need to serve those who are hungry in our communities, especially as many will lose temporary hotel/motel housing at the end of June. It is not necessary for a congregation to have an approved Phase 4…
As we prepare for a post-COVID world, I am thinking a good deal about Pentecost. On that day, the scriptures tell us, the church was born in a swirl of violent wind and tongues of fire, and nothing has ever been the same. Here in the Diocese of Vermont, we are experiencing our church’s rebirth…
Dear People of God in the Diocese of Vermont, Our state is continuing to make progress in curtailing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that means we can loosen some of the restrictions the Restart Team and I have put in place to help keep members of the diocese safe as we continue our…
The Rev. Jonathan Ross likes to tell people “there are more deacons out there, we’ve just got to find them.” Ross, who was ordained in September, was a prime example of a “deacon waiting to be found.” Ross works with victims of child abuse and neglect as a Family Services Worker for the Vermont Department…
Revision to In-Person Outdoor Worship Guidelines After consultation with the Vermont Department of Health, the Restart Committee is revising the space requirements published in guidelines released April 12. Rather than requiring 10 feet of space between persons at outdoor services, the new guideline requires 10 feet of space per person for unvaccinated individuals. Six feet…
Dear People of God in the Diocese of Vermont: Thanks to a brave young woman with a cell phone camera, the world saw Derek Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd’s neck until Mr. Floyd died. And yet, when I heard the news that Chauvin had been convicted of murder today, it felt surreal. There have been…
As the weather begins to warm and as Vermont state guidelines permit, in-person outdoor worship under Phase 3 directions may resume after May 1 according to the provisions that follow. Inasmuch as current Vermont state guidelines are closely tied to the anticipated rate of vaccinations in the state, parishes should be aware that changes in…
“Jesus’ resurrection was not something the disciples and the women could understand until they had lived through it and trusted God in Jesus to get them through,” said Bishop Shannon in her Easter sermon. “That is always how it has been for God’s people. The moments we celebrate are also bound together with the pain…
Streaming Services from SanctuariesEffective March 24, 2021 In light of recent revisions to the State of Vermont COVID-19 guidelines, congregational leaders are now permitted to stream services from their sanctuaries with the following provisions: With the consent of the clergy and vestry or bishop’s committee, a maximum of four people may gather if at least three of…
Bishop Shannon has appointed the Rev. Susan Ohlidal as canon missioner for local ministry. Ohlidal, who is also priest-in-charge at St. Andrew’s Church in St. Johnsbury, began work on March 15. “Our capacity for training, forming and supporting local ministry teams has been steadily decreasing over the last five years,” Bishop Shannon said. “Hiring Susan…
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