Out of an abundance of caution, we are strongly encouraging congregations across Iowa to cancel in-person worship services this weekend (March 13-15, 2020). We will update these recommendations as further news develops.
As of 6PM, 3/12/20, there are 16 confirmed cases in Iowa (IPR Hourly News Briefing), most of whom are between the ages of 61 and 80 years old). Currently, there is a lack of testing equipment available, so accurate numbers are unavailable.
Many Iowa congregations of all faith backgrounds are comprised largely of older adults (ages 60+) and persons with underlying health conditions such as heart disease, asthma, diabetes, and other related conditions. These are the groups known at this time to be at heightened risk for harm or death from COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus). In addition, many younger adults and families can unwittingly be 'vectors' (carriers) of the virus, even if they show mild or no symptoms.
The virus is spread through droplets which can contaminate and live on surfaces after someone coughs or sneezes on them or touches surfaces after their hands become contaminated. People can also become infected by being within 6 feet of an infected person, especially if they cough or sneeze.
As you may know, many senior living communities, hospitals, universities, some public schools, and several large events and meetings across Iowa have cancelled for at least the next two weeks, in order to slow the spread of the disease and avoid overwhelming our healthcare networks. Our hospitals have limited beds available, especially in critical care units.
Please DO NOT hold worship services in person and advise people in these heightened risk categories not to attend. Doing this may unintentionally cause feelings of rejection, stigma, and increase social isolation from the faith community. People in these higher risk categories who do try to show up anyway may also end up facing unintentionally negative or hurtful reactions from others concerned for their safety.
Consider your congregation's response to a snowstorm: If the people in your congregation who should least be out on icy roads in winter are the most likely ones who will show up if services aren't cancelled, you should cancel services.
Announcing the cancellation of in-person gatherings does not have to cause panic in your congregation. Advise them that by being proactive about not gathering in groups, we can do a great deal to slow the spread of this disease, keep the numbers of infected persons manageable by local healthcare facilities, and save lives. This is the pattern of evidence emerging from other countries who have experienced COVID-19.
Please only hold in-person worship if your leadership team are confident of your ability to adequately comply with the following public health department recommendations :
1. You can maintain the recommended 6 feet of social distance between participants at all times;
2. You do not pass any objects among participants, such as attendance pads, Communion cups/ plates, or offering plates. Place offering plates on pedestals in an area open enough for people to contribute while still maintaining social distance.
3. You do not make physical contact (no hand shaking, hugs, high-fives, fist bumps, or elbow bumps) when greeting or passing the peace, praying, ordaining, or blessing others.
4. You only allow servers who have completed thorough handwashing and are wearing gloves to serve food and beverages during any meals served, including Communion.
5. You have ample hand sanitizing stations at every entryway to the building, the sanctuary, and immediately before taking Communion or being served food and beverages, and you encourage people to use them.
6. You are able to thoroughly disinfect every surface participants are likely to touch during their time in the building: door knobs, handles, and push bars; bathrooms faucets, light switches, toilet handles, towel dispensers and dryers, and countertops; tables and chairs; pew backs; hymnals; desks and all office equipment including phones; water fountains; all kitchen food preparation surfaces and items, including all items and surfaces used for preparing Communion.
7. You instruct participants not to touch any Baptismal fonts for remembrance purposes, as both the water and the surfaces could become contaminated.
As you can see, these recommended public health protocols would be very difficult for most congregations to fulfill, and may cause volunteer servers and cleaners in your ministry that belong to the highest-risk categories to be unnecessarily exposed to the virus.
+++
Suspending in-person worship DOES NOT have to mean that a congregation ceases to be a community. Fortunately, many excellent ideas for building community through phone trees, conference calls, and online gatherings (video, chat, etc), are available via Facebook clergy groups and other online sources.
Also, opportunities to serve members of your congregation and community are likely: consider volunteers to make phone calls to ease the loneliness of quarantine; boxes of food and essential items delivered to the doorstep of those who need (while maintaining social distance); an extra round of 'backpack' meals for children if schools close, and offering to share homes with displaced college students if dorms close.
We will post as many resources as we can on our Facebook page and groups. In the meantime, here is a printable guide including many of the same recommendations listed above, and resources for further study. This announcement and the guide will be reviewed and updated as needed at least daily for the duration of this crisis.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cUQPaeazFs_tOZbqUUXzVViZGn5MYz3FAGJJlzjYRfo/edit?usp=sharing
