Welcome to St. Paul's Cathedral!
Mission Statement
The people of St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral
strive to be a beacon of God's love in
Western New York through transformative
worship, inclusive fellowship, and active service
in partnership with the wider community.
10: 15 am Sunday Service is available through our Live Stream or In-person
Cathedral Address:
139 Pearl Street, Buffalo, NY 14202
Office & Mailing:
4 Cathedral Park, Buffalo, NY 14202
Phone: 716-855-0900
Fax: 716-855-0910
Office Hours: 9 am - 5 pm, M-F
Email: office@spcbuffalo.org
St. Paul’s In-Person Worship Information as of May 24th, 2021
As more people get vaccinated against COVID-19 and the infection rate decreases, St. Paul’s will gather in the context of physical community to praise God inside our sacred space. Although we can rejoice that we are at this point, we have to proceed safely and cautiously – COVID-19 remains a threat to public health. For that reason, the plan to continue in-person worship indoors incorporates a number of precautionary measures as articulated in the reopening guidelines published by the partnership dioceses, including mask wearing and social distancing measures: https://episcopalpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Partnership_Reopening_Guidelines_Version_3_RV3.pdf
We will continue offering one indoor service at 10:15 am. This service will be live streamed for those unable to be physically present. Additional indoor services will be offered in the future. Throughout the summer, some outdoor worship opportunities will be offered in addition to the indoor option. At first, we can accommodate around 90 people – this is twenty-five percent of the space’s capacity factoring in social distancing measures.
For contact tracing purposes, all in attendance will be required to provide pertinent contact information. To help facilitate that, an online registration system has been set up. A limited amount of space will be reserved for guests/walk-ins; however, they will be required to provide contact information prior to entering the Nave.
The 10:15 am service will follow the format of The Holy Eucharist, Rite II in The Book of Common Prayer. To reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, some of our common practices will be altered. Specifically, most of the music will be offered by cantors and instrumentalists. Limited congregational singing will resume. Significant congregational and choral singing will resume in the future once the pandemic wanes. We will resume taking Communion in the context of community; however, we will refrain from using the common cup for the foreseeable future.
Although we will be eager to see and interact with one another, we want to do so as safely as possible. For that reason, please refrain from visiting while inside the Cathedral. All are invited to visit one another in Cathedral Park following the service.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will I register?
We will be using the registration platform in Planning Center, St. Paul’s communication and database hub. Links will only become available the week before the worship service. In the event of a worshipper tests positive for COVID-19, the registration will serve as a contact tracing list. In addition, the registration system will help us honor a capacity limit of twenty-five percent. If you are unable to register online, please contact Teresa Carter (855.0900) the week before worship to reserve your spot.
What about children?
During the 10:15 service, SPCKids program will meet in person! All children pre-K-6th grade can participate in a forty five minute SPCKids gathering including fellowship, prayer, an interactive lesson and an activity. Parents, we will greet you and your kids a the Pearl Street entrance to the church and we will bring the kids down to the Sunday school/ nursery space. The kids will then join the service for communion. If you have any questions, please contact: Lily Lane at lily@spcbuffalo.org or (716) 860-1569.
What can I expect when I arrive to worship?
Please plan to arrive by 10:00 am to ensure you can be checked in and seated prior to the 10:15 am service. All participants will be welcomed by greeters at the Pearl Street entrance who will check if you have registered and give you a bulletin if requested (all will be encouraged to download a copy of the bulletin on an electronic device at www.SPCBbuffalo.org). Please follow all directional signs. After checking in, you are to proceed directly to any vacant pew with a number on it. All members of the same household are to sit together. Fully vaccinated individuals from different households are permitted to sit together. For those who need to use the elevator, please indicate that upon registration and you will have access to the Walker Room entrance.
Will I have to wear a mask at services?
Masks are required for all indoor services, regardless of vaccination status. For outdoor services, masks are optional for those fully vaccinated and required for those unvaccinated.
What are the seating arrangements?
After checking in, you are to proceed directly to any vacant pew with a number on it. All members of the same household are to sit together. Fully vaccinated individuals from different households are permitted to sit together.
Can you say more about bulletins?
Yes! Participants are encouraged to download an electronic version of the bulletin at SPCBuffalo.org on their smartphone or tablet. Also, hard copies will be available as part of the check-in process.