We are making plans to resume church services in the next few weeks as the death rate the corona virus appears to have stabilized and the stay at home order from our government may be eased by then. People will be leery of gathering in crowds, so church will be different until we get a vaccine for this disease. Here are a few things we are considering doing during the first phase of re-opening. Realize that ours is a small congregation, so we have a few advantages over our larger neighbors.
- Start an early service for our members with co-morbidities or who are uneasy being around children.
- Everyone entering the building must wear a mask. This will be enforced by an usher.
- Masks made by members will be available at the door.
- Seating will be such that a 6 foot distance will be kept unless one is in a family group.
- Pews will be reserved ahead of time.
- A visitor pew will be maintained near the back.
- Prayer books and Hymnals will not be used, a service bulletin will be printed.
- No singing.
- No passing of the peace except for a wave or Vulcan salute done prior to the service.
- Between services a disinfection process will be done.
- The consecrated host to which a drop of wine has been applied are prepared ahead of time, toasted, and placed in individual plastic bags on the rail.
- No coffee hour.
- Continue live-streaming.
I do not know how long these changes will last because no one knows when a vaccine or miracle drug will come out.
In the meantime, if you have not seen or spoken to your church friends in several weeks, give them a call and ask them how they are doing.
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A good summary of what may lie ahead. God help us! Unfortunately it presumes questionable scientific assumptions being hysterically spouted by the media. When a virus enters a society, we can try to delay its spread, but spread it will. Everyone has four possible outcomes: 1. one's body defeats the virus without symptoms 2. one's body is made ill yet recovers. 3. the most seriously stricken need hospital care yet recover. 4. one dies because one's body is too weak to beat the virus for whatever reason. Right now less an 1% of the population testing positive for the virus is dying and the median age is over 80. Very sad, but instead of transforming the church into another TSA where everyone is presumed infectious, shelter those who are most vulnerable to dying from the disease and open up the church.
ReplyDeleteSheltering the vulnerable would shelter most of the average Anglican congregation. Holding a safe service for them sounds reasonable.
DeleteToasted host. Hmmm. But that assumes that the person doing the toasting and packaging is virus-free. Why not just fever-test the priest, provide hand sanitizer to him, and give communion on the tongue only?
ReplyDeleteBut the cancelled "passing of the peace" is good news. That should be forever! Flu season is coming in the fall, and I'm not getting any younger.
The best protection is when everyone has a mask. I learned through experience that one can tell a lot about what someone is thinking by looking at their eyes when they wear a surgical mask.
DeleteIn fact, is there any reason why the priest, fever-checked and hands sanitized, can't wear a mask, removing it only to serve himself after consecration, use hand sanitizer again, and then deliver the communion on the tongue, masked? Seems a whole lot simpler than toasting the Body of Christ and putting the hosts in baggies.
ReplyDeleteThe Federalist had an article about Wake County, NC, outlawing communion entirely -- which is true. On the comment thread, someone posted a comment to the effect that Episcopalians (not Anglicans) believe the communion is only symbolic anyhow. They probably do, at this point, although it requires ignoring "This is my body" and "This is my blood."