| Monday, March 9, 2020 Dear Siblings in Christ, As many of you already know, our world is facing a potential health crisis with COVID-19 (the coronavirus). I’m praying daily for the health of our world as we face this challenge and I recognize there is anxiety about the virus’ impact on our lives here in our state as well as in the Episcopal Church in Colorado. So far, there have been 12 cases of COVID-19 reported in Colorado. Our Disaster Preparedness Team, led by the Rev. Canon Carl Andrews, has been working with Episcopal Relief and Development monitoring COVID-19 carefully and curating resources for our use. These resources will be shared through our diocesan communication channels: on our website, through email, and via social media. We will continue to create, curate, and share resources as they become available and as we learn more. I’m grateful for the expertise of our medical professionals and those who are diligently working to respond to the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). I encourage everyone to continue to be loving and practice healthy habits. The following list is meant to be helpful checklist for our churches to reduce the risk of spreading the flu, colds, and other potential viruses. - Wash your Hands! Remind your staff and parishioners to wash their hands often with soap and water correctly. Additionally, provide signage to everyone entering your building encouraging them to visit a washroom to wash their hands upon arrival.
- Refrain from touch. You may share the Peace of the Lord with eye contact, a warm smile, a bow of your head, a wave, or an elbow bump.
- Remind your staff and congregation to stay away from work, school, or church activities if they are feeling unwell.
- Communion “in one kind” constitutes full and sufficient communion, so churches and individuals may elect to simply receive the bread and not the wine. Clergy may elect to only offer bread at the rail as long as the chalice is offered at a separate station for those who want to opt in.
- Intinction, (dipping the bread into the cup), poses a risk when multiple hands are dipping into the common cup. Churches should discontinue this practice for the foreseeable future.
- Hand sanitizer should be available at church entrances and in the chancel, either purchased products or homemade sanitizer.
- Holy Water should be removed from all fonts (as is tradition in some churches for Lent).
- Eucharistic visits should be suspended. Please consider sending cards or making phone calls so that shut-ins and others at risk are assured of our love and care.
- Offering plates should be placed at the back of the church or at another convenient place instead of being passed. For those counting monetary offerings, they should wear gloves and sanitize offering plates after use.
- Commonly touched places should be sanitized such as door handles, the altar rail, the backs of pews, table surfaces, elevator buttons, etc.
Holy God, giver of life and health: Comfort and relieve the sick across the world, that they may be strengthened in their weakness and have confidence in your loving care. Sanctify those you have called to the study and practice of the arts of healing and the prevention of disease and pain, that they may be strengthened by your life-giving Spirit. Make these words more than words, and provide us peace and comfort; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. Faithfully,
Bishop Kym Lucas | |
