Hello St Michael’s!
This week brought our Holy Cow CAT survey to a close, and those responses are being analyzed now. We will be taking a first look at our results with The Rev. Andrea Mysen at the vestry retreat next weekend, and we will be sharing that information with you as a parish in the coming month or two. My hope is that, after diving into the survey results, we get a clear picture of who we are today after so many changes. While the DNA of St. Michael’s remains the same, much has changed in 15 years. Who are we now, and who is our neighbor, and how are we called to serve them? Thank you for your time in completing the survey, and being a part of shaping St. Michael’s in its next 75 years.
Another little survey also closed this week, asking your input regarding the Chalice during worship. If you remember back in 2020, the Bishop of Chicago Jeff Lee halted in-person worship and the use of the chalice (and changed many things about our building and worship) in order to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Recently, Bishop Paula Clark gave permission for parishes to return to the chalice when they are ready. Want to know the truth? Somehow, rolling back COVID changes has been even harder than putting them in to place!
Through the survey, I have learned that most of you (not all) value receiving the wine and were glad to have a way to do that with the compostable cups. While the practice feels a lot more “protestant” to me than Anglican, it has served us for this unusual time in which we live; it was definitely an upgrade from the “lunchables” we were using for a period of time! :) The downside of this practice is expense, the waste that it creates, even using compostable materials, and it’s inherent emphasis on individuality.
Here is the feedback you gave me on the returning the common cup to our worship:
My first thought was, “of course, a near 50/50 split, because every COVID change is a difficult one!” And it’s true- the past couple of years as affected us all differently, with some still very concerned, and others having returned to life with no further regard for the virus. So for the immediate future, we will continue with the small cups. I see a day in the near future where we might offer the option at different “stations” in the nave, where you can receive the wine in the method you prefer (needs extra volunteers). I also expect that at some point in the future, we will no longer have the little cups. Remember when we were debating masks in church? I suspect (and hope) that debating the little cups will one day feel like that. Thank you for your input and helping me make an informed decision regarding this significant part of our common worship.
Blessings,
Jesse+
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