Pastoral Letter: Update Regarding In-Person Gathering
24 September 2020
Dear Sisters, Brothers, Siblings,
Grace and peace be with you in Jesus, the Light for all people!
As of 13 September, we have lived with the consequences of the COVID 19 pandemic for 6 months. Those consequences include, as of today in the United States, 7,135,603 persons who have tested positive with COVID 19 and 206,482 deaths due to COVID 19. Other consequences include the loss of employment for millions which has led the loss of health insurance not to mention the challenges for many trying to navigate online learning for their children as well as working remotely themselves or caring for a loved one in a care facility. Along the way, our missioners and I have done our best to consult with others about best practices, develop our Plan for Regathering for In-person Worship initially adopted in mid-May and identify platforms to enhance the information available regarding all of the data and measurements used to determine a way forward for us.
In late March, I convened a Diocesan Disaster / Crisis Team comprised of Canon Terri Bays, Canon Carol Bianchini, Canon Christopher Hillak, Canon Michelle Walker and Bishop Frank Gray. We began meeting weekly via ZOOM on 6 April. I want to thank each of them for the difficult and challenging work they have done and continue to do on our behalf. In consultation with other dioceses in Province V and the wider church, we developed the Plan for Regathering for In-person Worship. Thanks to Fr.TJ Freeman, serving as Rector of Trinity Fort Wayne, in July, we were directed to the Harvard website which helped us adopt the Determination Color Code based on the number of cases per 100K in each of our counties in addition to the State of Indiana Dashboard.
We know more in September regarding the spread of COVID 19 than we did in June which makes it possible to adapt our initial plan for Regathering. The Episcopal Dioceses in Michigan began allowing 25 % of full capacity for indoor In-person Worship, which includes the protocols of physical distancing, wearing masks, using hand sanitizer along with all the other protocols in our Diocesan Plan. In consultation with our Clergy, with the support and affirmation of our Diocesan Council and with the support of our Standing Committee, I have decided to implement the “ Michigan Adaptation” for all of our faith communities in Northern Indiana. In doing so, I want to invoke the Anglican principle, all may, none must, some should. Implementing this adaptation assumes that the clergy, wardens, and vestry of our 33 faith communities have prepared and submitted a Plan for Regathering for my review and approval. As of this writing, 24 faith communities have submitted a plan. Some of our faith communities will move to implement this adaptation this coming Sunday. Others may choose to take some time to make sure all things necessary are in place before gathering in person. What is most important to underscore is that each of our faith communities needs to listen to local officials, following their advice which may include closing if advised to do so.
For those faith communities who choose to move to indoor In-person Worship, it is also important to underscore that this next phase should be a Hybrid Phase…both in-person and virtual worship should be offered so that everyone connected to your faith community may continue to gather.
As I said earlier, we have learned some things since March and April. First, as we moved out of lock down, the potential for achieving a 14-day decline in some of our more populated counties is virtually impossible. Second, more testing is available in our state which gives us better sense of the positivity rate, another factor in determining the spread of the virus. Third, the state has assumed responsibility for contact tracing which initially was the responsibility of each county.
Bishop Andy Doyle of the Diocese of Texas sent a letter to the clergy in mid-June. He discussed several important topics: exposure and moral leadership. In terms of exposure, he quoted leading epidemiologist from the University of Minnesota, Dr. Michael Osterholm who said, “Exposure as a dose is a combination of time and amount.” Exposure = time and amount. Therefore, physical distancing, mask and brevity are essential for congregations in buildings. This means as you do gather, we believe you need to keep the service short, between 30 and 45 minutes.
Regarding moral leadership, Bishop Doyle pointed out that early in the pandemic, we were presented with two strong binary options: lockdown or do nothing. We have come to understand that moral leadership requires protocols for everyone’s safety. Hence, that is why developing your Plan for Regathering is essential and that we may need to adapt our protocols, as the circumstances change. Bishop Doyle then shared another quote from Dr. Osterholm, “We have to learn not only to die with this virus, which tragically we’ve had to do, but we also have to learn how to live with it.”
So, my friends, what is required of all of us is wisdom, attention to implementing the Plan for Regathering in your context, directed by your clergy, wardens and vestry and moral leadership.
If you have any questions, please contact me or one of our missioners. We stand ready to continue to support you in any way that we can.
I conclude, quoting Bishop Andy Doyle, in his letter to the clergy. “This is hard and difficult work. It is very difficult to do this work when your peers are not making the same choices. It is challenging when parishioners push and pull at you. I want to re-emphasize that we will support you if you open now, or later, if you close due to community spread, and when you are defending protocols against parishioner pushback.” These sentiments are also true for the wardens and vestry members of our faith communities as they try make the best decisions possible.
Be assured of my prayer and support. This comes with a brother’s love…
Doug
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Douglas E. Sparks
VIII Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana
