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COVID-19 Resources

Guidelines for Gathering

We are thankful and blessed to have medical consultants in our diocese to help guide our decisions throughout this pandemic.

We continue to follow the CDC and governor’s guidelines to make our recommendations. It is important to note that the diocese does not mandate any specific action to our parishes – the final decisions for offering in-person gathering rests with the clergy and leadership of each congregation, taking into consideration the health and safety of its own congregation and guests.

The bishop and COVID Medical Task Force continue to monitor COVID variants as they present themselves. If the situation should warrant reconsideration of these guidelines, they will be revised.

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Current Recommendations (updated 3/4/2022)

  • Social gatherings, including coffee hours, shared meals, and receptions, are now allowed. Precautions should include good hand sanitation, cross-ventilation for airflow, and social distancing for indoor events.
  • With these precautions in place, congregations may resume food ministries, and outside groups may return to our buildings.
  • Wearing masks is optional but often prudent—and always permitted—both at social gatherings and in worship. Everyone may sing, either with a mask or without.
  • Congregations may offer the common cup at communion. Each person should decide whether to receive in one kind (the bread only) or also to drink from the cup. Intinction, once so common in the Episcopal Church, contributes to the spread of any communicable disease. The Task Force strongly discourages this practice.
  • At-risk groups deserve special attention, and these include the oldest and youngest among us. Young children have not yet had access to vaccines, and planners should consider this fact when planning Sunday School. Masking, hand washing, using larger rooms, and providing cross-ventilation make a safer space for those ages zero to four.
  • The past year’s data has shown that vaccinations do more than anything else to prevent disease spread and serious illness. The Task Force, as it has all along, strongly recommends the vaccine and booster.
  • Many of our congregations have grown accustomed to using dual platforms, both in-person and digital media, for much of what we do—worship, education, and meetings. The Task Force encourages the use of both platforms. The capacity of clergy, staff, and unpaid volunteers should be a consideration, however, as the increased demands of providing two platforms has stretched the limits for many of our people and leaders.
  • Leaders, lay and ordained, should continue to monitor COVID spread locally, both to assess the larger community and the needs of parish. A trend signaling increased spread of the virus, or the arrival of a troubling new variant, will require a return to stricter guidelines.