An update from Bishop Scarfe on coronavirus (COVID-19) precautions
From Bishop Scarfe
The cancellations are coming thick and fast as the world community continues to seek to manage the impact of COVID-19. It seems wise for college leaders, such as at Grinnell College, to recognize that the release of students on Spring Break to many parts of the state and country, and then have them return even after an extended break, can only help stir up the potential for contagion. State universities are moving their learning online for a time following Spring Break as well.
Clearly we need to continue to heed the information from the health and state authorities, and recognize that our own church population (mostly over 60) is seen as a vulnerable demographic. With this in mind, I want us to pay serious attention to the following:
SELF-CARE, AND COMMUNITY CARE
Please stay home at the slightest hint of becoming symptomatic. This especially includes members of the clergy, who often soldier on when under the weather. Prepare arrangements to switch to Morning Prayer in case a clergy person is not able to serve on Sunday morning.
Forgo the hugs and handshakes for now. Keeping eye contact, reverentially bow at offering God’s Peace and yours to one another. Keeping your distance (sitting more than one to two seats away from each other—preferably at least 6 feet apart). This will be hard as it is our sense of togetherness that is a prominent blessing of coming together for worship; but it is genuine care for each other at this time.
Keep an eye out for pastoral needs as they arrive in your congregation in relation to COVID-19. Be in phone, email, or social media contact with the elderly. Right now, our presence in nursing homes seems to be unhelpful as they have become especially sensitive areas. Several nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Iowa are restricting outside visitors. So, extend your care in different ways. Try and communicate more among yourselves to see who might be facing economic difficulties, and how the congregation may be able to help. Not everyone can buy two or three weeks of groceries.
Limit pastoral visitations as possible and appropriate. Visit and pray with people by phone or video call.
Ask what the community at large might need. Be attentive to ways you can assist others beyond the church who are impacted—childcare with kids at home; or groceries if hourly incomes disrupted by quarantine or illness, etc. Compassionate monitoring is one way of describing this.
WORSHIP AS A COMMUNITY
I am still inviting you to gather as seems appropriate. Cancel all non-essential meetings. Practice virtual meetings as we are currently doing for the House of Bishops. It has been suggested that you consider the space in which you gather for worship. Does it allow the separation suggested for safe human interaction, or are you too crowded together?
The diocesan staff is working on live streaming Sunday services from a few of our churches that are meeting. Please look for additional news about this from Meg, our communications missioner.
As I wrote previously, it is perfectly fine to take communion in one kind only during this time. If you need this to be a directive, please make it so. But I trust each of you as congregations to determine what is appropriate for your situation. If you continue in this time to offer the common cup, do refrain from individual intinction. If offering bread only, we still consecrate a small chalice of wine and leave it on the altar during distribution.
Place the offertory plate or basket somewhere where people can put their offerings in it instead of passing it through the congregation.
Empty and disinfect the baptismal font.
CLEANLINESS AND GODLINESS
This is a difficult time for altar guilds and we need to thank them for their extra diligence. In particular they are being asked to wipe down and sanitize the altar rails of the sanctuary before and after each Eucharist, along with their usual setting up duties. We use silver chalices and patens during this time, even if the custom is to go simpler during Lent. Please do not use pottery or wooden vessels.
Provide for extra cleanings of door handles, faucets, and other places that multiple people touch each Sunday.
For coffee hour, provide gloves for your servers and when possible, make it easy for people to pick up individual servings without having to share the same serving utensil.
SOME GENERAL LEARNINGS
At the House of Bishops virtual meeting this week, we heard from the Episcopal Relief and Development task force on dealing with COVID-19. Their words were sobering and yet settling. They made it clear that the corona viruses cause 25% of all colds and flus. However, while we know a lot about the various flus that come and go, we are “naïve” about COVID-19. Nor does our body have any direct protection, unlike what we build up over the years against the flu strains that commonly have their seasons. COVID-19 too may have a season, but its appearance in the summer season of the southern hemisphere indicates that it might not fit the familiar pattern.
Its mortality rate is probably high statistically right now because without widespread testing we don’t know the full extent of contagion. Eighty percent will have mild symptoms, and the real vulnerability remains with the older population and those with impaired immune systems and underlying health issues, as well as the very young who are still developing their immunity. We cannot stop its spread but we can minimize its impact, and seek to limit its opportunities.
Both vaccines and therapeutic specifics are a ways off. While general symptom easing can be found with over the counter flu/cold therapeutics—do contact your doctor about your symptoms. Washing hands often and being mindful of social contact remain our best measures. If you are diagnosed with COVID-19, please let your church office know for both practical and pastoral reasons.
Being Church in the midst of a stressful time like this is to keep connected in the Way of Love in a safe and sensible way. To that end, be aware in your church culture of what might need adjustment to keep people safe. And know that you are agents working to restrict the impact of the disease, and move it along until it runs out of gas! Attend to good information, and there’s a lot out there. The Church can be a calm translator for the community at large. Weigh your risk of infecting others with the genuine mission purpose of your gatherings. Seek to manage the anxiety and fear in society that is being caused by the unknown.
Finally, know that there will be an end date for our modified practices as soon as it is safe to do so.
This continues to be a time for earnest prayer, and I am grateful for the following prayer from the New Zealand Prayer Book provided on the Episcopal Relief and Development website.
God of the present moment, God who in Jesus stills the storm and sooths the frantic heart;
Bring hope and courage to us as we wait in uncertainty.
Bring hope that you will make us the equal of whatever lies ahead.
Bring courage to endure what cannot be avoided, for your will is health and wholeness;
You are God, and we need You. Amen.
In the peace and love of Christ,
+Alan Scarfe
The Rt. Rev. Alan Scarfe, Bishop of Iowa
Litany: Out of the Depths We Cry Out to You in the Face of the Coronavirus
Handouts and printable posters from the CDC
Social media messaging for churches and organizations to share
Faith-based response to pandemics from Episcopal Relief and Development