United Church of Christ – Wider Church Ministries Humanitarian Development Team Coronavirus (COVID-19) Daily Briefing Barbara T. Baylor, MPH – Temporary Health Liaison. Initially, most of the attention about the danger of COVID-19 focused on the elderly because they have a much higher case-fatality rate. Assign seat and row number (or table number) to your sanctuary and meeting rooms. Several states have started to lift stay-at-home orders, even though their COVID-19 case counts remain high or have just started to decline. The Church is moving forward in all areas of the world with ample caution, always strictly following the guidance … With continuing reports of COVID-19 outbreaks at spiritual gatherings as counties have advanced to Phases 1.5, 2, and 3 of the . The COVID-19 pandemic in its present form will pass. In this way, even if these contacts were infected, any transmission onward can be minimized. Sign Up For Our Newsletter However, such actions must be taken very rapidly and effectively. The guidance below is produced to help churches navigate the changing situation as restrictions to limit the transmission of Covid-19 are progressively eased. Seating in places of worship should be arranged in such a way as to maintain at least 6 feet of distance in every direction between individuals or parties. Be able to dial up and dial down church activities as COVID-19 infection in the community waxes and wanes. Church Leadership. During this period, churches across the US and around the world have closed their doors to in-person worship and ministries. By Brian Croft • May 12, 2020. But the more we can mitigate these factors, the lower the risk of transmission. Keep a log of where every person sits. The step-by-step plan as described is not hard or expensive to implement and can help ensure a safe environment for congregants around the world. Then, if requested, churches should be prepared to quickly notify these contacts so they can self-quarantine and be evaluated for COVID-19. This is an exciting time for many, but it should be done with the utmost care and responsibility by church leaders. This pandemic offers a chance to build deeper relationships. Roy Cooper has lifted North Carolina’s COVID-19 mask and social distancing mandates, several churches in the Triangle are loosening their restrictions. Having a clear plan will help our congregants understand why and how we are making these decisions. Yes, houses of worship can open for in-person … Mitigate the risk of airborne COVID-19 transmission during church activities. We have updated our Privacy Policy to provide you a better online experience. 한국어,  Churches, congregations, and places of worship may adopt additional When infection in the community is still high, use of face masks provides an added layer of protection. Our churches can use biblical truths and the available scientific knowledge to guide decisions on when to resume in-person ministries and how to do it safely. Places of worship play an important role in providing spiritual leadership for many individuals, and in bringing communities and generations toget… Then we learned that younger adults with common chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes also have an increased risk of serious complications. As an example, for a population like King County, Washington, where I live (2.2 million people), and with a consistent decline in reported deaths and cases as the foundation, one set of criteria might look like this (using rolling averages over three days): As testing increases and we learn more about COVID-19, churches can develop more precise guidance on when to move from one step to another. The following are acceptable as proof of full vaccination: Vaccination card (which includes name of person vaccinated, type of vaccine provided and date last dose administered) OR a photo of a All Rights Reserved. Until testing gets ramped up, we can only make a guess based on the number of cases and deaths reported. Imagine the strategy as creating small bubbles of safety across the church. 1. Ed Stetzer & John Davidson | Future Issues Leaders Should Be Planning For, Q&A: What Churches Should Know About the CARES Act, SBA Loans and Non-Discrimination [Updated: 4/3/2020]. Their masks were a fact of pandemic life for the past year under the Diocese of North Dakota’s COVID-19 protocols, but Parsley sensed a change coming. In the coming weeks many churches will be opening their physical doors again. They include: The more these factors are present, the higher is the risk of transmission. Physical distancing is usually not practical for small group gatherings in a home, so using face masks there is important while there is still a high level of infection in the community. Therefore, small group gatherings should be the first activity to be implemented. More information about stopping the spread of COVID-19 can be found here. Register everyone entering a meeting. A global health expert suggests a phased plan for congregations gathering again amid this pandemic. In small groups, we can build deeper relationships with each other, grow in God’s Word, foster a safer environment for mutual accountability, and encourage one another to love and good works. These sector specific COVID-19 safety standards for Places of Worship and Religious Services are issued to provide instructions to help protect against the spread of COVID-19 as the number of persons attending in-person services increases. of worship and providers of religious services to support the safest possible environment for faith leaders If nothing was done, the rising number of infections would have overwhelmed health care systems, and deaths would have quickly escalated. In the coming weeks many churches will be opening their physical doors again. [Episcopal News Service] The partially obscured faces of parishioners in the pews greeted the Rev. Avoid poorly ventilated indoor spaces. WASHINGTON COUNTY — As more people are vaccinated and guidelines change for COVID-19, local churches are adjusting to phase into more regular, pre-pandemic types of services. That is why we are providing a link to the official CDC guidelines for you and your leadership team to review and implement. That is why we are providing a link to the official CDC guidelines … Churches in other parts of the world face the same challenges as government-mandated lockdowns eases. Step 1: Consistently <5 deaths per day for 3 consecutive weeks, Step 2: Consistently <1 death per day for 3 consecutive weeks, Step 3: Consistently <5 cases per day for 3 consecutive weeks, Step 4: Consistently <1 case per day for 3 consecutive weeks, Complete access to articles on ChristianityToday.com, Over 120 years of magazine archives plus full access to all of CT’s online archives. We all need human contact, but sometimes contacts feel superficial. © General Council of the Assemblies of God, 2020. In addition, wearing a face mask prevents an infected person from rubbing her nose and then depositing viruses on surfaces that she touches. Medicine has limits. During this period of social distancing, it is perhaps even more important that churches meet these needs. Because older people are more susceptible to getting COVID-19, the implication is that intergenerational contact should be minimized to reduce COVID-19 transmission. The author’s suggestion is to wear a face mask when singing or talking. They also use some electronic tracking, which may not be acceptable in other countries. When a real need exists that is best met or can only be met face-to-face, we should find a way to resume in-person ministries more quickly. Français,  Gathering with the same group of people who are at the same life stage can also better meet our social, emotional, and spiritual needs. A prime example of this is Singapore, which controlled the first wave of infection from China only to experience a second wave of infection from Europe. Specifically, a consistent downward trend in COVID-19 cases and deaths for at least three weeks is one metric to use before considering step 1 of this plan. But as John Calvin knew, it can be an extraordinary gift from God. The first task is to rapidly identify all the contacts to a COVID-19 patient who attended the church. Church should closely monitor the level of infection in its community. Coronavirus and the Church Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can be transmitted from person to person. His ministry, preparing to downsize in the wake of a new investigation, expresses regret for “misplaced trust” in a leader who used his esteem to conceal his sexual misconduct. In addition, our congregants are at greater risk for serious complications from COVID-19. Therefore, churches should carefully consider when and how to resume in-person ministries and have a clear plan to do so. Be able to dial up and dial down church activities as COVID-19 infection in the community waxes and wanes. The same can be said of spread from one country to another. As Christ’s disciples, these needs are met as we live out our calling to worship, pray, encourage, witness, disciple, and serve. Therefore, for the safety of the whole congregation as well as their friends and neighbors, churches should be prepared to assist public health departments to identify and find the contacts of people who discover they are infected. русский, and This has worked because South Korea and Taiwan have some of the highest testing rates in the world and a well-trained cadre of contact tracers to quickly locate contacts and implement quarantine. For instance, those who live together as one social unit do not need to be physically separated at church. In addition to guidelines on COVID-19 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the following are the minimum recommended health practices for all churches, congregations, and places of worship in Alabama. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is following the lead of governments and healthcare professionals around the world as it considers a measured return to normal operating procedures disrupted by COVID-19. Indonesian,  Continue to take these steps to reduce your risk of getting and spreading COVID-19: Correctly and consistently wear a mask that completely covers your nose and mouth. The more congregants stay within their bubble, the safer everyone in the congregation will be while infection in the community remains. Even if the government allows gathering in churches, do not go to church if you: Have been in contact in the past 14 days with someone who has contracted the virus; Have traveled in the past 14 days; Have any symptoms of COVID-19 or other illnesses; Bring with you to church: A face-fitting … During this pandemic, love for ourselves is expressed in the ways we protect ourselves from getting infected. When providing services in person, places of worship are encouraged to follow the minimum Responding with their feet, ministers bring ‘the simplest form of the gospel’ to tense situations. CDC Opening Guidelines for Churches. But as a global health professional who has worked for 25 years to control diseases around the world, I am certain that this has prevented many infections and deaths that would have occurred among congregants and their families and friends.