First Year of The Covid Pandemic

 ST MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS is located in the Heart of Downtown Prince George. Since the very beginning of the Covid Pandemic in 2020, it has been led by the Interim Minister Vicar  Alexis Saunders . Along with her the Wardens  -Sean Robinson (Rectors Warden) and Marie Hay (People’s Warden), Lay ministers Linda Robinson and Karen Dougan  and various volunteers like  and Val Stanley our pianist/organist  have been really taking on a lot of the challenges of keeping the Sunday Services going. It is with much gratitude to each one of them that we are able to continue to have a spiritual community. So thank you all.

I am writing as one of those people who have since April 26th 2021,  I have been filming the services weekly with Rev Alexis Saunders from St Michael and All Angels.  I have to admit I was afraid when I was asked to do this as it was early days of the stay at home orders. I remembered how seeing my first live streaming  service by Rev.  Len Fraser from Grace Anglican and how comforting it was, so I wanted to be a part of doing that for others. I quickly pushed thru my fears and showed up with my mask and cellphone to get down to work. I was also so inspired seeing Rev Alexis coming out of retirement again to take on the job of interim Minister in a worldwide Pandemic. At first it was just the two of us – Rev Alexis and I, learning as we went along where to put the camera/cellphone to connect to our parishoners on line. The Rectors Warden and part time secretary  Sean Robinson and Chris Peters got TELUS to upgrade the Internet to be more reliable. What makes a service on line really work is the church’s microphone or using  louder speaking voices and as we went along learning how to do a “LIVE” on Facebook the need for a Microphone attached to my cellphone.  As months went on we had to more changes with the Orders from Dr Bonnie Henry The Chief Medical Officer of BC which allowed us to expand our Bubble to include a Lay minister and musicians   then it was the logistics of how to film without being too close to each other.  Easter was coming and we planned  a lovely service  with  piano and violin ( thanks to Chris Peters and Sean Robinson)  We added in a  COFFEE ZOOM after our service which was a big hit and certainly left  all of us feeling a little more connected but realizing how much we missed  seeing everyone. Next we had to move into our Church Hall for a short time in June to practice how to have people back. as it was easier to clean as to covid protocols. The preparation to ensure the spacing for our parishioners who were able to attend with Xs on the floor and later when we did go into the church the pews were blocked off. It was another huge undertaking with measurements and tape and cleaning ( Many thanks to Chris Peters and wardens). Our Services began on time as much as possible ( 10 am prompt) being Morning Prayers  but when we had music added it was so much more comforting even if we couldn’t sing in together we could hear it in our minds and hearts ( humming along and taping hands and feet but we longed for the day when we can sing once again in fellowship.  We did have a couple of days with a guest cantor  (Thanks to you Tim)   The Holy Eucharist was allowed  briefly in Sept and Oct but we were back to Morning Prayer by Nov 8th and we no longer had any parishioners in the Church  and were back at Phase One by Nov 21st which meant it was  just Alexis and myself filming and uploading it to the Page on Sunday mornings.  This lasted over the Christmas and. until Jan. 31st   Speaking of Christmas the parishes came up with a way to include our congregation in the Traditional Christmas Pageant in an “Non Traditional” way.  People were assigned parts which they filmed themselves and the clips were put together  and released on Christmas Eve. Much thanks to all who participated and to Ken Ponsford at Grace Anglican who stitched it together and that was not easy to do! So we were back to having Lay ministers back by late March. Easter was another joint effort between 4 parishes ( Our Saviour’s Lutheran joined us for this ) to create a memorial service including lighting the fire ( and filming in a darken church –create a  smokeless fire with half Epson salts and half rubbing alcohol.  )  Rev Alexis term was completed with her last Service May 30th  2021  just over a year since the Pandemic began .  It was planned to be outside service but it was weather dependent so on a dime we moved it inside and it was the with greatest of pleasure that we were able to have parishioners attend  and we could give her a proper expression of thanks in person .

Alexis you have showed true leadership and team work during this Covid Pandemic and rather like our BC Top Dr Bonnie Henry your ‘Stay Calm “and “Carry on” but in  the words of her favorite  mystic Julian of Norwich  “All Shall be Well”. It is indeed with high praises to you and all those who helped support your efforts that this will always be a part of our Memories of this Covid Pandemic. Now we Have our new ¾ time Deacon Rev Patrick Sibley with us for the start of a new ministry of the “Three Rivers”.  We are now a  shared ministry for both Anglican parishes of Prince George Grace and St.Michael  and Quesnel  St John Divine. Thank you and God Bless you in your retirement for good this time!