3/9/2021
Dear Clergy,
At a meeting of the Task Force on Operations on Friday, March 5th, the guidelines for Returning to Church were reviewed and changes to the most recent plan’s thresholds for reopening were recommended. The changes are noted below.
These changes were based on new information available to us about the effectiveness of the vaccine, the consideration of the efficacy of more than one factor to be used in offering thresholds for safe regathering, and the beneficial feedback that we have received from many of you.
The updated guidelines are offered as the least restrictive option for you as you care for and minister to your congregations. Some of our churches will choose to remain closed to in-person, indoor worship and will continue worshipping online because that is the most comfortable option for them.
As always, the purpose of the guidelines is to offer best practices and thresholds that the Task Force believes will allow for an indoor worship experience that is as safe as possible.
The number of people in the sanctuary will be as many as each particular church can hold with a 6-ft distance between individuals and/or household groups.
The changes to the Guidelines are focused on the thresholds and timelines for re-gathering in person:
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When the county in which your church is located reaches either 5% positivity rate or less or 25 or fewer daily cases per 100,000, in a weekly report beginning March 8th or thereafter, the Task Force will endorse reopening with all mitigation measures in place. The link to check the statistics, updated on Mondays each week, can be found here https://diocesecpa.org/parish-news/coronavirus-facts-precautions-and-prayers/
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As your congregation approaches these thresholds, please be in touch with Carolyn Patterson (cpatterson@diocesecpa.org) who will assign you to a Task Force member to review your plan for reopening for indoor worship.
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If the statistics increase beyond the thresholds of both a 5% positivity rate and more than 25 cases per 100,000 for two weeks in a row, that will indicate a growing surge in cases and a conversation with a Task Force member will be encouraged to discuss the best response.
As Holy Week and Easter draw near, we realize that this may allow for some of our churches to conduct in person, indoor worship. It is advisable to discuss how you will determine the “reservation process” for your parish and the number of services that may be required to accommodate all who wish to be present in church.
Outdoor worship (with mitigation measures in place) remains an option at all times.
We hope that this shift in practice will be beneficial for those who want to gather safely in person for worship in our sacred spaces.
In the Way of Love,
