Pastoral Guidance in Light of COVID-19
Dear ABCNJ Family and Friends,
As news of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) continues to unfold, I am certain we have many questions regarding what precautionary measures are appropriate to take—especially as we gather together for worship.
During the health crisis, it is important that our faith communities do what we can to protect the well-being of both our members and our neighbors. Along with this comes the responsibility to make our decisions based off of reliable information, as well as to restate that information with accuracy. In this way we will be able to model how to deal with the presence of this novel virus with the seriousness it deserves, without triggering people to panic. At the bottom of this post you will find a list of resources you may find helpful in establishing policies which will help your church navigate this troubling time.
In addition to modeling health practices in our congregations we are also called to model love. As people of God, we are called to love our neighbor. We must be mindful to resist and renounce any racism and xenophobia at this virus’ geographic point of emergence. These are challenging times for the church. I urge you to stay connected to the One who has created us from love, for love, to love.
We encourage you to be mindful of all the ways these interactions happen, assessing our vulnerabilities, considering our most vulnerable people—such as our elderly, children, and those with compromised immune systems—and implementing measures that we hope will keep everyone safe.
Based on the best available information we have at present the region does recommend our churches consider the suggestions below. If you have already set some guidelines for your local congregation, I invite you to send them to me via my contact form and we will post them on our website as a resource for our ABCNJ family.
Worship Bulletins
If possible foregoing print bulletins, and replacing them with electronic or projected versions, is advisable. If this is not feasible, make sure greeters are wearing gloves as they pass out bulletins, and have worshippers sanitize their hands as they enter the sanctuary.
Music
It is not known at present how long COVID-19 is able to remain viable on surfaces. Projecting lyrics is a good way to prevent the spread of the virus. Remember to disinfect the keyboards, remotes/mouse and desks. If this is not feasible a printed song sheet may be a better option, and if this will not work then encouraging hand washing and sanitizing after worship is recommended (which should be a standard practice).
Offering
Worshippers should either come forward to leave their offerings in a basket or plate, or plates should be handled by gloved ushers and not passed by the congregation. While there are costs, encouraging online giving would also help protect those who handle the offering after it is taken.
Prayer Time
If your church passes a microphone around at prayer time, have the person holding the microphone in the front listen to each request and then repeat it for the congregation.
Handshaking
Following CDC guidelines, Handshaking should be avoided. If your church passes the peace, or has a greeting time, during worship then propose alternatives for the congregation to use. People could be taught to sign “I love you” or place their right hand over their heart and then extend it outward to their neighbors—the latter is considered by many to be a sign of peace. A friendly nod and smile is also a good alternative.
Communion
Passing plates and cups is inadvisable at this time, as too many hands end up touching the elements and the potential for spreading the virus is increased. Churches may want to consider inviting congregants up front for communion, keeping a least three feet between members, and have gloved servers hand worshippers the elements. You may also consider using pre-filled communion sets.