May 12, 2020
The contexts we live in vary greatly across our NT-NL synod territory. As we come back or prepare to come back together for in-person worship these are considerations and questions that I believe you and every congregation in our synod should take into account before they return to in-person worship. Your conference deans have also seen these considerations and added good thoughts. I am grateful for their work and dedication. The reality is we are in a continually fluid situation and it would be wise for rostered/authorized and lay leadership to have a plan to continually monitor the situation.
- Decision making process.
- Have the pastor/authorized leader and lay leadership prayed about this decision together?
- Are all in agreement? If there is disagreement how is that being handled?
- Have you consulted with the office of the bishop? Local public health officials?
- Does your insurance provider have guidance and/or counsel for re-opening?
- County/Parish and/or municipality’s current case/fatality trend.
- Has it been in decline over last 14 days? Is there sufficient testing? Hospital capacity?
- What is the rate of infection per capita in your county/parish(this is significant particularly in smaller population areas where one case can make a greater impact)?
- Congregational demographics and likely worship attendees.
- What percentage of the congregation and likely worshippers are parts of a vulnerable population (65+, underlying health conditions).
- Is pastor/authorized leader or staff part of these vulnerable populations? Is sensitive personal health information of these leaders being kept in confidence?
- Will those in vulnerable populations be allowed to worship? How will they be informed they should stay home? Will you turn people away?
- If you go back to in-person worship but encourage people not to attend how will you ensure their spiritual needs are being cared for? Include them in community?
- If you continue online community worship experiences how will staff/volunteers be cared for given the additional time/work/preparation to prepare?
- -Facility preparations and expectations of worshippers.
- What is the plan to ensure sanitization of all surfaces before and after each service? Who is responsible for this work?
- How will you instruct people on where to sit? Keep households at least 6 feet apart? Is there adequate space for people to enter/exit the building safely? Will you rope off pews or mark the floor with tape to designate areas?
- Will you require worshippers to wear masks? Will they be provided? What will you do if individuals refuse to wear a masks? Will ushers be expected to remove those persons?
- In Phase 1 capacity is limited at 25% and there can be no nursery for small children. Have you calculated that number? Will you allow small children to attend worship? What if they wander? As capacity limits are increased how will you manage these changes?
- On-going evaluation of the situation.
- What is decision process if cases/fatalities begin to grow again? What benchmarks will be used? If new stay-at-home orders are issued?
- What is the plan if someone worshipping tests positive for COVID-19? How will other worshippers be notified? Will in person worship be suspended? Will pastor/authorized leader and staff self-quarantine?
- Content/Structure of the worship experience.
- Will there be communal song given the risk of added spread due to singing?
- How will worship be led? Will service be projected? High touch surfaces like hymnals should be removed, how will offering be conducted?
- If Communion is to be offered what is protocol? Are preparers, distributors, and communicants all prepared and trained for this?
- Will baptisms be performed? If so how will the physical arrangements of the participants be managed? Sanitary water provided and font drained and cleaned before and after?