1. Will Liturgy be conducted in-person or virtually?
Starting Saturday, June 6, 2020, SMSP will begin conducting in-person Liturgies in a limited capacity. Liturgies conducted in the St. George Coptic Orthodox Church may be accessed virtually through the St. George Church’s stream, available here.
2. Where will Liturgies be held?
As the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral, SMSP’s regular venue, remains closed, Liturgies will be held at the St. George Coptic Orthodox Church in Surrey, B.C. When the Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral reopens, Liturgies for SMSP will return back to the Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral. An update will be provided when it becomes available.
3. How will I know when I can attend Liturgy?
Based upon the information provided through the SMSP Church Registry (available here), one individual from each residence (the individual who completed the survey) will be emailed with instructions regarding when to attend Liturgy. SMSP should, God willing, be able to divide the congregation into two groups, allowing you to attend Liturgy on alternating weeks.
4. How do I confirm my attendance?
Once you have received an invitation email, you will be instructed to RSVP using an online survey. Through this survey, you will be able to confirm the attendance for you and any members of your residence who will also be attending Liturgy that week. Once you have confirmed your attendance, you and the members of your residence will be added to the Attendance List for the specified week.
5. What if I can’t attend my assigned week?
If you cannot attend the Liturgy on your assigned week, please RSVP “no” on the survey provided to you in a timely manner. Alternatively, if you do not RSVP within the allocated time frame (provided in the invitation email), you will be marked as “not attending”.
Should you not be able to attend Liturgy, SMSP will invite individuals from the subsequent week in your place in order to ensure the Church serves its maximum allotted numbers of congregants. Subsequently, should the numbers allow, you will be invited to attend the following week’s Liturgy instead.
6. Can I attend a Liturgy if I did not receive an invitation?
In order to adhere with Provincial Health guidelines, SMSP asks that you do not attend Liturgy on a week in which you did not receive an invitation/submitted an RSVP. The Church will generate an Attendance List each week, based upon the RSVPs, and only individuals whose names appear on the Attendance List will be asked to attend that week’s Liturgy.
7. What should I bring to Liturgy?
The Church asks that you bring the following items to Liturgy:
- A face mask
- An Altar cloth (for partaking in Holy Communion)
- A filled water bottle (for partaking in Holy Communion)
These are temporary measures in order to ensure that the Church abides by Provincial Health guidelines. An update will be sent when these measures are no longer required.