Dear SMM Community:

For the past few weeks, we have been experimenting with Live Streaming for our Sunday Service with varied results. Despite our best effort, we have not been able to ensure a stable and continuous streaming using the YouTube platform, and the frequent dropping of signals has greatly compromised our worship experience. As such, the Parish Leadership Team, with advice from the Director of Music, has decided to return to pre-recorded Mass starting this Sunday.  We believe from comments and responses we have received that viewers found the recorded services more complete.  We will, however, be slightly changing our approach to recording of services.  Rather than having some parts recorded in the church and some recorded remotely, we will record a service in its entirety in an effort to best emulate the SMM experience, recognizing we are not in normal times.

Because participants are already scheduled for this Sunday, we will be recording the service at 10:00 am.  Once the service is over, we will be uploading it to YouTube.  This can take time and there can be variables involved.  We will endeavour to have Sunday's service posted in the early afternoon.  An email will be sent with the link as we normally do once it is posted.   We have certainly noted during this time of "virtual services", that a smaller proportion of viewers are watching Sunday mornings, but rather are viewing the services through Sunday and well into Monday.  Based on that, we are hopeful that the switch for this week will be generally acceptable to our parishioners and regular viewers.

From Sunday's experience, we will determine the timing for the following two Sundays.  Then, as we approach September, we have established a Re-Opening Committee that is providing guidance for a return to public worship.  We are not yet sure what that will look like, but we will, of course, keep you informed on what our approach will be based on the formal guidance of the provincial Chief Medical Officer of Health, Toronto Public Health, and the Diocese of Toronto.

As always, your patience, support, and encouragement are deeply appreciated.

The Parish Leadership Team

Rob Castle
Heather McGregor
Christian Cameron
Anne Todd
Mtr. Johanna 

(Due to vacations, Fr. David and Mark Stenabaugh could not be present)