January 4, 2022 update from the Re-Gathering Committee
January 4, 2022
To all at Grace Church -
First of all, I wish each of you a Happy, Healthy, and Safe New Year!
Secondly, given the rise of covid on the Island and the rapid transmission of the omicron variant, the Regathering Committee has made the following recommendations, which are effective immediately, as of January 4, 2022:
I know this will be tough for some as we revert to Zoom. The feeling of the Regathering Committee is that it's better for us to be safe and not to put anyone at risk.
Thank you to the Regathering Committee for your help and input. Thank you, the Community which is Grace Church, for your understanding, patience, and faithfulness as we continue to live with and manage our response to covid-19.
God bless you,
Stephen+
The Reverend Stephen Harding, Rector
To all at Grace Church -
First of all, I wish each of you a Happy, Healthy, and Safe New Year!
Secondly, given the rise of covid on the Island and the rapid transmission of the omicron variant, the Regathering Committee has made the following recommendations, which are effective immediately, as of January 4, 2022:
- Tuesday School is suspended for at least the next two weeks;
- All meetings will move to zoom for at least the next two weeks;
- we will continue with the services as they are, with masks and distanced seating;
- Coffee Hour remains suspended for at least the next two weeks
- Choir, Warming Center, 12 Step, and Community Suppers will all continue with masks and distance.
- Chris Berry will come in on Sundays to clean after each service.
I know this will be tough for some as we revert to Zoom. The feeling of the Regathering Committee is that it's better for us to be safe and not to put anyone at risk.
Thank you to the Regathering Committee for your help and input. Thank you, the Community which is Grace Church, for your understanding, patience, and faithfulness as we continue to live with and manage our response to covid-19.
God bless you,
Stephen+
The Reverend Stephen Harding, Rector
October 2 update from the Re-Gathering Committee
October 2, 2021
Update from the Re-gathering Committee:
The Regathering Committee met as planned on September 30 to review our guidelines and practices for meetings and worship in the ongoing context of the covid-19 pandemic. The Committee will meet again at the end of October to reassess our guidelines and practices.
Based on the discussion, the Committee decided the following:
General Guidelines:
All groups meeting inside the premises of Grace Church are to require its attendees to wear masks and maintain a six foot (6’) separation between individuals who not in the same household.
Masks are to be worn inside the buildings of Grace Church.
Windows are to be open and fans turned on during all meetings to promote good air flow.
Meetings:
12-Step Meetings:
Grace Church is extremely grateful to the 12-Step Meetings that have been meeting under the tent all summer for their patience and good will. We now invite them to move their meetings back into the Parish Hall, effective immediately, with the following protocols in place:
All persons attending must wear masks;
The kitchen is not yet available for use;
We invite attendees to enjoy all beverages outside, as drinks and food inside at meetings are not yet allowed;
Initially, we are setting a limit of twelve attendees in person in the Parish Hall, with six feet (6’) of distance between persons who not of the same household.
Zoom accessibility will be provided to the 12 Step group meetings
The 12-Step group is responsible for ensuring compliance with Grace Church and the Town of Tisbury’s covid-19 guidelines.
Parish Groups:
Are invited to meet in the Parish Hall or Andersen Room, subject to the conditions described above for the 12-Step Meetings.
Parish groups and committees must schedule their meetings in advance with our Parish Administrator, Maureen O’Malley, 508 693-0332.
Groups of more than four will meet in the Parish Hall.
Sunday Worship:
The 8am service will continue to meet outside until that congregation is ready to worship inside.
The 10am service will continue to meet in the Church, with overflow seating in the Parish Hall and will simultaneously remain accessible by Zoom.
Everyone present in the Church must wear a mask and maintain a three foot (3’) distance between persons not of the same household.
The 10am service will continue to offer the Sacrament in one kind (wafer).
Singing: After much discussion, the Regathering Committee decided that it was ok to sing the hymns softly in church, providing everyone is wearing a mask.
Traditional Coffee Hour with beverages and food remains supended for the month of October. Congregants are encouraged to gather briefly in the Parish Hall or at greater length outdoors to socialize after the service.
Next Steps:
The Regathering Committee will meet again at the end of October to re-assess our context, guidelines, and practice.
Thank you all for your patience and flexibility as we continue be the Church in a new way, and God bless you.
The Reverend Stephen Harding, Rector
For the Regathering Committee
Abby Bates
Christopher Berry
Fr. Harding
Deborah Medders
Joan Merry
Maureen O’Malley
Ann Palches
Update from the Re-gathering Committee:
The Regathering Committee met as planned on September 30 to review our guidelines and practices for meetings and worship in the ongoing context of the covid-19 pandemic. The Committee will meet again at the end of October to reassess our guidelines and practices.
Based on the discussion, the Committee decided the following:
General Guidelines:
All groups meeting inside the premises of Grace Church are to require its attendees to wear masks and maintain a six foot (6’) separation between individuals who not in the same household.
Masks are to be worn inside the buildings of Grace Church.
Windows are to be open and fans turned on during all meetings to promote good air flow.
Meetings:
12-Step Meetings:
Grace Church is extremely grateful to the 12-Step Meetings that have been meeting under the tent all summer for their patience and good will. We now invite them to move their meetings back into the Parish Hall, effective immediately, with the following protocols in place:
All persons attending must wear masks;
The kitchen is not yet available for use;
We invite attendees to enjoy all beverages outside, as drinks and food inside at meetings are not yet allowed;
Initially, we are setting a limit of twelve attendees in person in the Parish Hall, with six feet (6’) of distance between persons who not of the same household.
Zoom accessibility will be provided to the 12 Step group meetings
The 12-Step group is responsible for ensuring compliance with Grace Church and the Town of Tisbury’s covid-19 guidelines.
Parish Groups:
Are invited to meet in the Parish Hall or Andersen Room, subject to the conditions described above for the 12-Step Meetings.
Parish groups and committees must schedule their meetings in advance with our Parish Administrator, Maureen O’Malley, 508 693-0332.
Groups of more than four will meet in the Parish Hall.
Sunday Worship:
The 8am service will continue to meet outside until that congregation is ready to worship inside.
The 10am service will continue to meet in the Church, with overflow seating in the Parish Hall and will simultaneously remain accessible by Zoom.
Everyone present in the Church must wear a mask and maintain a three foot (3’) distance between persons not of the same household.
The 10am service will continue to offer the Sacrament in one kind (wafer).
Singing: After much discussion, the Regathering Committee decided that it was ok to sing the hymns softly in church, providing everyone is wearing a mask.
Traditional Coffee Hour with beverages and food remains supended for the month of October. Congregants are encouraged to gather briefly in the Parish Hall or at greater length outdoors to socialize after the service.
Next Steps:
The Regathering Committee will meet again at the end of October to re-assess our context, guidelines, and practice.
Thank you all for your patience and flexibility as we continue be the Church in a new way, and God bless you.
The Reverend Stephen Harding, Rector
For the Regathering Committee
Abby Bates
Christopher Berry
Fr. Harding
Deborah Medders
Joan Merry
Maureen O’Malley
Ann Palches
August 19 letter to the Parish from the Re-Gathering Committee
August 19, 2021
To Everyone at Grace Church –
The last eighteen months have been difficult and the last month has been extraordinarily hard. The news from Afghanistan; Haiti (assassination and earthquake); wildfires and flooding; the UN Report on Climate change; the delta variant and the uncertainty it brings; masks in schools; Racism, and Tropical Storm Henri, has been relentless and unremitting. Plus, it’s August on the Vineyard, which brings its own set of issues and frustration.
Any one of these happening at one time would be a lot to cope with. Six at once plus individual circumstance, and one starts to wonder when it will all stop and what’s next. Things can seem less certain and the future unknown. All of the above can produce a sense of increased anxiety, stress, and perceived lack of control that may manifest itself in different ways. This is normal and is a normal response to multiple stressful events happening at once.
Ways to reduce anxiety are to not get caught up in the event(s), but to breathe, limit the time you spend with the media (social and news), exercise, pray, and to drink water instead of caffeinated beverages or alcohol. Put your efforts to something that you can achieve or influence, and do that.
Here at Grace Church, our attention is focused on continuing to provide a non-anxious space and liturgy that is calm and a place to connect with God and with each other throughout these times.
Bishop Harris sent guidance on covid-19 and the delta variant to the Diocese of Massachusetts earlier this week, a copy of which can be seen on our website, https://www.graceepiscopalmv.org/guidelines-for-re-gathering.html.
Because the delta variant of covid-19 is so virulent and its symptoms so diverse, the Re-Gathering Committee’s recommendation is that you be tested for covid-19 if you have any persistent physical symptoms.
Our Re-Gathering Committee met this morning to evaluate our local context and to make a decision about how we will honor our commitment to continue providing safe, non-anxious worship to our Parish and our Island. The following is how we will continue to be faithful to you and to God through September, subject to our local conditions. We remain committed to keeping everyone who uses our buildings safe and are determined to continue providing services through changing circumstances.
Here is what is planned through September, subject to our local conditions and directives:
Sunday Worship: The 8:00am service will continue to be held outside as
weather conditions permit.
The 10:00am service will be held inside on Sunday,
August 22nd, with the possibility that the August 29th
service and services thereafter will be held outside under
the tent if covid-19 numbers continue to rise.
Seating for services: The guidance from the Diocese now requires a distance
of 6 feet between households. This means that we will
have seating available in the Parish Hall as well as in the Church.
Zoom: The 10:00am service and all parish meetings will
continue to be made available through Zoom.
Singing: At this time, the Congregation will not sing during the
10:00am service. The Choir will continue to record the
hymns prior to the Sunday service, masked, and
sufficiently distant from each other.
Masks: Everyone at all meetings or gatherings on the premises
of Grace Church must wear a mask. Everyone at any
service of Grace Church must wear a mask while
attending the service until they exit the building.
Coffee Hour: In order to reduce the possibility of transmitting covid-19,
Coffee Hour will continue to be suspended for the time
being.
Sunday School: Conversations are beginning to take place about
re-opening Sunday School. More information will be
forthcoming as we think our way through.
I know this is a lot of information and that it comes in the context of many things going on in the world. Please know that it comes with deep affection and appreciation for you and for the gift of your presence in the life of Grace Church.
We will get through all of this. Together. Please let me know if there is a way that I can be helpful or if there is something that you need from Grace Church.
In the meantime, God bless you.
Stephen+
The Reverend Stephen Harding
For the Re-Gathering Committee
Abby Bates
Chris Berry
Deborah Medders
Joan Merry
Maureen O’Malley
Ann Palches
To Everyone at Grace Church –
The last eighteen months have been difficult and the last month has been extraordinarily hard. The news from Afghanistan; Haiti (assassination and earthquake); wildfires and flooding; the UN Report on Climate change; the delta variant and the uncertainty it brings; masks in schools; Racism, and Tropical Storm Henri, has been relentless and unremitting. Plus, it’s August on the Vineyard, which brings its own set of issues and frustration.
Any one of these happening at one time would be a lot to cope with. Six at once plus individual circumstance, and one starts to wonder when it will all stop and what’s next. Things can seem less certain and the future unknown. All of the above can produce a sense of increased anxiety, stress, and perceived lack of control that may manifest itself in different ways. This is normal and is a normal response to multiple stressful events happening at once.
Ways to reduce anxiety are to not get caught up in the event(s), but to breathe, limit the time you spend with the media (social and news), exercise, pray, and to drink water instead of caffeinated beverages or alcohol. Put your efforts to something that you can achieve or influence, and do that.
Here at Grace Church, our attention is focused on continuing to provide a non-anxious space and liturgy that is calm and a place to connect with God and with each other throughout these times.
Bishop Harris sent guidance on covid-19 and the delta variant to the Diocese of Massachusetts earlier this week, a copy of which can be seen on our website, https://www.graceepiscopalmv.org/guidelines-for-re-gathering.html.
Because the delta variant of covid-19 is so virulent and its symptoms so diverse, the Re-Gathering Committee’s recommendation is that you be tested for covid-19 if you have any persistent physical symptoms.
Our Re-Gathering Committee met this morning to evaluate our local context and to make a decision about how we will honor our commitment to continue providing safe, non-anxious worship to our Parish and our Island. The following is how we will continue to be faithful to you and to God through September, subject to our local conditions. We remain committed to keeping everyone who uses our buildings safe and are determined to continue providing services through changing circumstances.
Here is what is planned through September, subject to our local conditions and directives:
Sunday Worship: The 8:00am service will continue to be held outside as
weather conditions permit.
The 10:00am service will be held inside on Sunday,
August 22nd, with the possibility that the August 29th
service and services thereafter will be held outside under
the tent if covid-19 numbers continue to rise.
Seating for services: The guidance from the Diocese now requires a distance
of 6 feet between households. This means that we will
have seating available in the Parish Hall as well as in the Church.
Zoom: The 10:00am service and all parish meetings will
continue to be made available through Zoom.
Singing: At this time, the Congregation will not sing during the
10:00am service. The Choir will continue to record the
hymns prior to the Sunday service, masked, and
sufficiently distant from each other.
Masks: Everyone at all meetings or gatherings on the premises
of Grace Church must wear a mask. Everyone at any
service of Grace Church must wear a mask while
attending the service until they exit the building.
Coffee Hour: In order to reduce the possibility of transmitting covid-19,
Coffee Hour will continue to be suspended for the time
being.
Sunday School: Conversations are beginning to take place about
re-opening Sunday School. More information will be
forthcoming as we think our way through.
I know this is a lot of information and that it comes in the context of many things going on in the world. Please know that it comes with deep affection and appreciation for you and for the gift of your presence in the life of Grace Church.
We will get through all of this. Together. Please let me know if there is a way that I can be helpful or if there is something that you need from Grace Church.
In the meantime, God bless you.
Stephen+
The Reverend Stephen Harding
For the Re-Gathering Committee
Abby Bates
Chris Berry
Deborah Medders
Joan Merry
Maureen O’Malley
Ann Palches
Bishop Gayle Harris' Aug. 16 pastoral message with COVID-19 requirements & recommendations
PrintThe following pastoral message with COVID-19 requirements and recommendations was sent to congregational and diocesan leadership on Aug. 16, 2021. In addition to the language translation function on this site, a Spanish language version is available here.
Aug. 16, 2021
Dear People of the Diocese of Massachusetts,
Scientific and medical researchers and providers have determined that the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus now has outpaced the other forms of the disease infecting the United States and countries across the globe. The Delta variant is more easily transmitted than previous strains and more dangerous, resulting in more hospitalizations. “Breakthrough” infections in some vaccinated persons have proven that vaccinated individuals can spread the virus among others with whom they come into contact. Here in Massachusetts, as you know, areas on Cape Cod, such as Provincetown, and on the islands, including Nantucket, became COVID "red zones" following the July 4th holiday. There are continuing reports of family and community gatherings being "spreader events," causing extreme illness and death. Again hospitals and health care providers in various parts of the country are overwhelmed by the growing infection rate, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that persons with compromised immune systems obtain a booster vaccination. Vaccination lessens the opportunity for infection, and if infection of the Delta strain does occur, it lessens the severity of the disease.
There was much hope at the beginning of the summer that gathering for worship, ministry and community events inside our churches, homes and other facilities would become a freer possibility, as the number of people who have been vaccinated increased. Unfortunately, the adaptability and virulence of this disease continues to require our utmost vigilance to protect the most vulnerable.
In consultation with Bishop Alan Gates (who is on sabbatical) and Canon to the Ordinary Bill Parnell, I am now issuing an updated COVID protocol of requirements and recommendations for the Diocese of Massachusetts, which is below.
Please review these requirements and recommendations pertaining to all worship, ministry and gatherings in your community and use the links provided for further information.
This protocol goes into effect on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021, and continues until further notice. We will continue to monitor research and medical information, and provide updates as the situation and data warrant.
Canon Parnell will host a series of Zoom meetings to answer questions and offer clarification. The schedule and Zoom links have been e-mailed to congregational leadership.
COVID-19 and other infectious diseases do not recognize gender, sexuality, demographics or zip codes. Diseases know neither political affiliation nor religious sensibilities. Over and over again in the Gospels, Jesus calls us to care for one another, and St. Paul reminds us to bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). Therefore, to wear masks is not a political statement or an impingement on freedom. To wear masks is to take precaution to not infect another. It is a Christian moral action, seeking to not be a source of infection and therefore to not bring a burden to another.
Yours in Christ Jesus,
+Gayle
The Rt. Rev. Gayle E. Harris
Requirements and Recommendations for Churches
• NOW REQUIRED: Maintain physical distancing (6 ft. or more) between households at all indoor gatherings.
• NOW REQUIRED: Mask wearing by everyone (except children age 2 and under) at all indoor gatherings.
• NOW REQUIRED: COVID vaccination of all persons, clergy or lay, who are engaged in ministry with the most vulnerable, including children age 12 and under, homebound or immune-compromised persons, and those in hospitals and care facilities.
• EXPECTED: Monitor guidance from the CDC, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and civic authorities in your own communities, and adjust your practices accordingly. The CDC provides a COVID Data Tracker at the county level which includes five critical factors to assess risk in your community and inform local decision making.
• VIGILANCE TO PROTECT THE MOST VULNERABLE: For some, including our youngest members, the vaccine is not yet available; for others, underlying medical conditions or history make vaccination inadvisable or less effective. Still others, even if fully vaccinated, are at higher risk for serious illness should they contract COVID-19.
• We strongly urge vaccination against the coronavirus for all our members as soon as they are eligible. We reiterate, however, that our congregations must not require vaccination, nor documentation thereof, for attendance at worship services.
• We urge you to be in regular conversation with renters and community groups who meet in your buildings to determine appropriate safety precautions.
• Pastoral visits are to be brief. Minimal physical proximity is safer, especially for those who are most vulnerable due to illness or age.
• Restrictions on the sharing of Holy Communion continue. Please use wafers for the distribution of Communion in one kind only. Refrain from using the common cup; individually pre-packaged wine may be used, if desired.
• We strongly urge regular cleaning of high-touch areas, ready availability of hand sanitizer and minimizing use of shared objects. Prayer books and hymnals are to be removed (photocopied worship leaflets or projected materials are preferable). An offering basin at a convenient location is preferable to passing offering plates.
• Singing and choral music is permitted, provided the mask requirement, stated above, for indoor worship is observed.
• Coffee hour and other events with food and drinks may take place but plan carefully how food and drinks are served. Individually wrapped foods and designated servers, as opposed to potlucks or buffets, are a safer option. Physical distancing between households at such gatherings is strongly recommended.
• We urge careful planning with regard to Christian formation classes and events, especially where they involve young children not yet eligible for vaccination. You may wish to consult with your local schools or daycare providers about the practices they are observing.
• Nurseries and childcare are allowed, provided the health and safety guidance established by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care is observed.
August 16, 2021
Aug. 16, 2021
Dear People of the Diocese of Massachusetts,
Scientific and medical researchers and providers have determined that the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus now has outpaced the other forms of the disease infecting the United States and countries across the globe. The Delta variant is more easily transmitted than previous strains and more dangerous, resulting in more hospitalizations. “Breakthrough” infections in some vaccinated persons have proven that vaccinated individuals can spread the virus among others with whom they come into contact. Here in Massachusetts, as you know, areas on Cape Cod, such as Provincetown, and on the islands, including Nantucket, became COVID "red zones" following the July 4th holiday. There are continuing reports of family and community gatherings being "spreader events," causing extreme illness and death. Again hospitals and health care providers in various parts of the country are overwhelmed by the growing infection rate, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that persons with compromised immune systems obtain a booster vaccination. Vaccination lessens the opportunity for infection, and if infection of the Delta strain does occur, it lessens the severity of the disease.
There was much hope at the beginning of the summer that gathering for worship, ministry and community events inside our churches, homes and other facilities would become a freer possibility, as the number of people who have been vaccinated increased. Unfortunately, the adaptability and virulence of this disease continues to require our utmost vigilance to protect the most vulnerable.
In consultation with Bishop Alan Gates (who is on sabbatical) and Canon to the Ordinary Bill Parnell, I am now issuing an updated COVID protocol of requirements and recommendations for the Diocese of Massachusetts, which is below.
Please review these requirements and recommendations pertaining to all worship, ministry and gatherings in your community and use the links provided for further information.
This protocol goes into effect on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021, and continues until further notice. We will continue to monitor research and medical information, and provide updates as the situation and data warrant.
Canon Parnell will host a series of Zoom meetings to answer questions and offer clarification. The schedule and Zoom links have been e-mailed to congregational leadership.
COVID-19 and other infectious diseases do not recognize gender, sexuality, demographics or zip codes. Diseases know neither political affiliation nor religious sensibilities. Over and over again in the Gospels, Jesus calls us to care for one another, and St. Paul reminds us to bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). Therefore, to wear masks is not a political statement or an impingement on freedom. To wear masks is to take precaution to not infect another. It is a Christian moral action, seeking to not be a source of infection and therefore to not bring a burden to another.
Yours in Christ Jesus,
+Gayle
The Rt. Rev. Gayle E. Harris
Requirements and Recommendations for Churches
• NOW REQUIRED: Maintain physical distancing (6 ft. or more) between households at all indoor gatherings.
• NOW REQUIRED: Mask wearing by everyone (except children age 2 and under) at all indoor gatherings.
• NOW REQUIRED: COVID vaccination of all persons, clergy or lay, who are engaged in ministry with the most vulnerable, including children age 12 and under, homebound or immune-compromised persons, and those in hospitals and care facilities.
• EXPECTED: Monitor guidance from the CDC, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and civic authorities in your own communities, and adjust your practices accordingly. The CDC provides a COVID Data Tracker at the county level which includes five critical factors to assess risk in your community and inform local decision making.
• VIGILANCE TO PROTECT THE MOST VULNERABLE: For some, including our youngest members, the vaccine is not yet available; for others, underlying medical conditions or history make vaccination inadvisable or less effective. Still others, even if fully vaccinated, are at higher risk for serious illness should they contract COVID-19.
• We strongly urge vaccination against the coronavirus for all our members as soon as they are eligible. We reiterate, however, that our congregations must not require vaccination, nor documentation thereof, for attendance at worship services.
• We urge you to be in regular conversation with renters and community groups who meet in your buildings to determine appropriate safety precautions.
• Pastoral visits are to be brief. Minimal physical proximity is safer, especially for those who are most vulnerable due to illness or age.
• Restrictions on the sharing of Holy Communion continue. Please use wafers for the distribution of Communion in one kind only. Refrain from using the common cup; individually pre-packaged wine may be used, if desired.
• We strongly urge regular cleaning of high-touch areas, ready availability of hand sanitizer and minimizing use of shared objects. Prayer books and hymnals are to be removed (photocopied worship leaflets or projected materials are preferable). An offering basin at a convenient location is preferable to passing offering plates.
• Singing and choral music is permitted, provided the mask requirement, stated above, for indoor worship is observed.
• Coffee hour and other events with food and drinks may take place but plan carefully how food and drinks are served. Individually wrapped foods and designated servers, as opposed to potlucks or buffets, are a safer option. Physical distancing between households at such gatherings is strongly recommended.
• We urge careful planning with regard to Christian formation classes and events, especially where they involve young children not yet eligible for vaccination. You may wish to consult with your local schools or daycare providers about the practices they are observing.
• Nurseries and childcare are allowed, provided the health and safety guidance established by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care is observed.
August 16, 2021
Guidelines from the Re-Gathering Committee in light of the delta variant, July 29, 2021
July 29, 2021
To Everyone in the Parish of Grace Church –
Before I get to the the delta variant and the steps we are taking, I want to write on the anniversary of the ordination of the first women to the priesthood in the Episcopal Church (July 29, 1974) to give thanks for their witness and faith, and give thanks for all the women clergy in the Church, particularly our Priest Associates, the Rev’d Sharon Eckhardt and the Rev’d Dr. Storm Swain, and our colleague and friend, the Very Rev’d Amy McCreath, Dean of the Cathedral of St. Paul. Our life as Church would be greatly diminished without their presence and ministry, and I continue to give thanks for the gift of their lives in ours.
As I write, the presence and the effect of the delta variant on the Cape is growing. Because the delta variant is infecting vaccinated and unvaccinated persons; because of its increased transmissibility; and in order to minimize the chance that the delta variant will be transmitted at Grace Church, the Re-gathering Committee implemented the following steps at its Tuesday meeting with regard to in-person meetings and indoor worship at Grace Church for the month of August:
• Masks are now required for all meetings and gatherings that take place indoors at Grace Church.
• Handwashing with soap or hand sanitizer is required upon entering Grace Church.
• Hymns will still be recorded and played as audiotapes for the service, but we will not sing during the service as a congregation. That is, we will not sing the hymns or any other part of the service in August.
• Coffee Hour will be suspended for the month of August. It will still be possible to gather in the Parish Hall to socialize after the 10am service, wearing masks and maintaining a distance of three feet.
• The Requiem scheduled for August 21 has been rescheduled for a time in September or October.
• The Re-gathering Committee will continue to monitor the spread of the delta variant on the Vineyard and on the Cape; it will meet again during the third week of August to make a decision for worship going forward.
I know that it is hard to give up singing, Coffee Hour, and to postpone the requiem for those we’ve lost, just when we were beginning to be with each other again.
As hard as that is, we are still able to gather together for worship in person, we are still the Body of Christ, and our witness and ministry are still needed in the world.
Thank you for your ongoing faithfulness and patience as we continue to move forward together.
May God bless you and keep you safe, now and for ever,
Stephen+
For the Regathering Committee:
Abby Bates
Chris Berry
Rev’d Stephen Harding
Deborah Medders
Joan Merry
Maureen O’Malley
Ann Palches
To Everyone in the Parish of Grace Church –
Before I get to the the delta variant and the steps we are taking, I want to write on the anniversary of the ordination of the first women to the priesthood in the Episcopal Church (July 29, 1974) to give thanks for their witness and faith, and give thanks for all the women clergy in the Church, particularly our Priest Associates, the Rev’d Sharon Eckhardt and the Rev’d Dr. Storm Swain, and our colleague and friend, the Very Rev’d Amy McCreath, Dean of the Cathedral of St. Paul. Our life as Church would be greatly diminished without their presence and ministry, and I continue to give thanks for the gift of their lives in ours.
As I write, the presence and the effect of the delta variant on the Cape is growing. Because the delta variant is infecting vaccinated and unvaccinated persons; because of its increased transmissibility; and in order to minimize the chance that the delta variant will be transmitted at Grace Church, the Re-gathering Committee implemented the following steps at its Tuesday meeting with regard to in-person meetings and indoor worship at Grace Church for the month of August:
• Masks are now required for all meetings and gatherings that take place indoors at Grace Church.
• Handwashing with soap or hand sanitizer is required upon entering Grace Church.
• Hymns will still be recorded and played as audiotapes for the service, but we will not sing during the service as a congregation. That is, we will not sing the hymns or any other part of the service in August.
• Coffee Hour will be suspended for the month of August. It will still be possible to gather in the Parish Hall to socialize after the 10am service, wearing masks and maintaining a distance of three feet.
• The Requiem scheduled for August 21 has been rescheduled for a time in September or October.
• The Re-gathering Committee will continue to monitor the spread of the delta variant on the Vineyard and on the Cape; it will meet again during the third week of August to make a decision for worship going forward.
I know that it is hard to give up singing, Coffee Hour, and to postpone the requiem for those we’ve lost, just when we were beginning to be with each other again.
As hard as that is, we are still able to gather together for worship in person, we are still the Body of Christ, and our witness and ministry are still needed in the world.
Thank you for your ongoing faithfulness and patience as we continue to move forward together.
May God bless you and keep you safe, now and for ever,
Stephen+
For the Regathering Committee:
Abby Bates
Chris Berry
Rev’d Stephen Harding
Deborah Medders
Joan Merry
Maureen O’Malley
Ann Palches
Guidelines from the Re-gathering Committee for re-opening on July 11, 2021
June 21, 2021
The Committee met to consider the question of when it would be safe to gather for indoor public worship at Grace Church. After consideration of the 14 Day Positivity Percent Rate data for Dukes county, the decision was made to regather for indoor public worship at 10:00am on July 11, 2021, subject to the following protocols:
• The 8:00am service will continue to be held outdoors for as long as those in attendance would like it outdoors.
• The 10:00am service will be a hybrid service, offering both in-person and online worship.
• All in physical attendance in the Church will be required to wear a mask. This is to ensure the safety of all present.
• Windows and doors to the Church will kept open to permit adequate ventilation of the space.
• Seating will be at a minimum distance of three (3) feet between persons of different households. In practice, this will mean seating in every other pew.
• Everyone physically present will be asked to sanitize their hands with Purell upon arrival.
• Overflow seating will be available in the Parish Hall.
• For safety’s sake, contact tracing information will be taken for at least the first month of indoor worship.
• Coffee Hour will be held outdoors in the playground.
Liturgical Service
The service will be a hybrid Communion Service with the following provisions:
• Due to safety concerns, we will hold off on all processions in the service.
• The Choir will be invited to sit in the Congregation to serve as section leaders and strengthen the congregational singing. Masks will remain in place for all singing at this service.
• We will continue to make a sign of Christ’s Peace to each other instead of greeting each other with hugs or handshakes.
• Communion will be in one kind until further notice.
• Fr Harding will bring Communion to the Congregation where they are seated.
• Spiritual Communion will be available online, as will
• The invitation to bring Communion to them at home if they wish.
Congregation and Parishioners
Because we have not worshipped in person indoors since March 15, 2020, our transition back may be a little bumpy, as we get used to being with each other and being in Grace Church together.
For this reason, I am asking the Vestry to divide the Parish roll among them and for each vestry Member to call the Parishioners on their list to let them know we are holding our first indoor hybrid service on July 11 at 10am and to invite them to join us. A script will be provided, and at the same time, I am asking the Vestry to invite that individual whether they would like to participate more fully in our services by serving as an Usher, Reader, Altar Server, Intercessor, Zoom Host, Eucharistic Minister, or by bringing something for Coffee Hour afterward., not just for July 11, but going forward.
It is asked that these phone calls to every parishioner be completed by July 3.
Ministers of the Liturgy
Altar Guild, Flowers, Ushers, Readers, Altar Servers, Intercessors, Zoom Host, Eucharistic Ministers, and Hospitality.
Parishioners who have served in these ministries prior to March 15, 2020 will be asked whether they would like to continue their ministries. Those who do, together with any who have offered to join us, will meet in person to review, practice, and learn new safety protocols for in-person worship.
Only those persons who attend these meetings will be able to serve in these various roles and functions of the service.
The Choir
Our pre-covid choir will be contacted and invited to join the core group who has been recording hymns this last fifteen months to record hymns going forward. In addition to participating in the hymns for the online bulletin, all choir members will be asked to sit in the congregation to support congregational singing.
Hospitality
Coffee Hour will be held outdoors until further notice and can be set up on the deck outside the Andersen Room. The current Diocesan guidelines on Hospitality are that “Coffee hour and other events with food and drinks may resume. We ask that you plan carefully about how food and drinks are served. Individually wrapped foods and designated servers, as opposed to potlucks or buffets, are a safer option.”
Sunday School
Sunday School will reconvene in September.
The Re-gathering Committee
Abby Bates
Chris Berry
Fr Stephen Harding
Deborah Medders
Joan Merry
Maureen O’Malley
Ann Palches
The Committee met to consider the question of when it would be safe to gather for indoor public worship at Grace Church. After consideration of the 14 Day Positivity Percent Rate data for Dukes county, the decision was made to regather for indoor public worship at 10:00am on July 11, 2021, subject to the following protocols:
• The 8:00am service will continue to be held outdoors for as long as those in attendance would like it outdoors.
• The 10:00am service will be a hybrid service, offering both in-person and online worship.
• All in physical attendance in the Church will be required to wear a mask. This is to ensure the safety of all present.
• Windows and doors to the Church will kept open to permit adequate ventilation of the space.
• Seating will be at a minimum distance of three (3) feet between persons of different households. In practice, this will mean seating in every other pew.
• Everyone physically present will be asked to sanitize their hands with Purell upon arrival.
• Overflow seating will be available in the Parish Hall.
• For safety’s sake, contact tracing information will be taken for at least the first month of indoor worship.
• Coffee Hour will be held outdoors in the playground.
Liturgical Service
The service will be a hybrid Communion Service with the following provisions:
• Due to safety concerns, we will hold off on all processions in the service.
• The Choir will be invited to sit in the Congregation to serve as section leaders and strengthen the congregational singing. Masks will remain in place for all singing at this service.
• We will continue to make a sign of Christ’s Peace to each other instead of greeting each other with hugs or handshakes.
• Communion will be in one kind until further notice.
• Fr Harding will bring Communion to the Congregation where they are seated.
• Spiritual Communion will be available online, as will
• The invitation to bring Communion to them at home if they wish.
Congregation and Parishioners
Because we have not worshipped in person indoors since March 15, 2020, our transition back may be a little bumpy, as we get used to being with each other and being in Grace Church together.
For this reason, I am asking the Vestry to divide the Parish roll among them and for each vestry Member to call the Parishioners on their list to let them know we are holding our first indoor hybrid service on July 11 at 10am and to invite them to join us. A script will be provided, and at the same time, I am asking the Vestry to invite that individual whether they would like to participate more fully in our services by serving as an Usher, Reader, Altar Server, Intercessor, Zoom Host, Eucharistic Minister, or by bringing something for Coffee Hour afterward., not just for July 11, but going forward.
It is asked that these phone calls to every parishioner be completed by July 3.
Ministers of the Liturgy
Altar Guild, Flowers, Ushers, Readers, Altar Servers, Intercessors, Zoom Host, Eucharistic Ministers, and Hospitality.
Parishioners who have served in these ministries prior to March 15, 2020 will be asked whether they would like to continue their ministries. Those who do, together with any who have offered to join us, will meet in person to review, practice, and learn new safety protocols for in-person worship.
Only those persons who attend these meetings will be able to serve in these various roles and functions of the service.
The Choir
Our pre-covid choir will be contacted and invited to join the core group who has been recording hymns this last fifteen months to record hymns going forward. In addition to participating in the hymns for the online bulletin, all choir members will be asked to sit in the congregation to support congregational singing.
Hospitality
Coffee Hour will be held outdoors until further notice and can be set up on the deck outside the Andersen Room. The current Diocesan guidelines on Hospitality are that “Coffee hour and other events with food and drinks may resume. We ask that you plan carefully about how food and drinks are served. Individually wrapped foods and designated servers, as opposed to potlucks or buffets, are a safer option.”
Sunday School
Sunday School will reconvene in September.
The Re-gathering Committee
Abby Bates
Chris Berry
Fr Stephen Harding
Deborah Medders
Joan Merry
Maureen O’Malley
Ann Palches
Letter from the Rector, June 10, 2021
June 10, 2021
To the People of Grace Church –
Thank you for your ongoing willingness to try new things as we continue our journey toward in-person worship indoors!
I wanted to tell you the latest developments regarding re-gathering for in-person worship this Sunday and for June:
We held a successful hybrid (in-person and online at the same time) outdoor service last Sunday in the playground. This Sunday’s (June 13) 10am hybrid service will be held outdoors on the lawn between the Rectory and Franklin Street. It will be available on both the lawn and online by Zoom, as we have been doing.
A couple of logistical items for Sunday, June 13:
The 8am service will be outdoors in front of the William Street side of the Church.
If you could bring your own chair to the 10am outdoor service, that would be greatly appreciated. We will have chairs available, but yours may be more comfortable.
If you walk with an assisting device (cane, walker, wheelchair) or if walking is difficult, please enter the Rectory driveway on Franklin Street and park head-in on the lawn between the cones.
To join the service by Zoom, go to our website, www.graceepiscopalmv.org, and click on the “Join us” link.
We ask that those present wear masks. The reason is so that we can sing safely together and so that we can keep each other and those who are not vaccinated safe.
Going forward:
I am reminded that this journey is a process and not an event. We are using the outdoor services to re-learn how to worship with each other in person and to learn how to worship in-person and online at the same time. There will be moments where things won’t go well and moments where things go very well. This is normal, and we will learn, adjust, and adapt to improve the services as we continue.
The second thing about outdoor services is that they give us a chance to see what will happen to the covid-19 numbers on the Vineyard in light of the vaccines, loosening of the restrictions, and the summer influx.
Our plan is to continue to hold outdoor services through June. Based on the data available from the state (www.mass.gov), at the end of June, we will make the decision to continue outdoors for July or begin the transition to services in the church. The online option of Zoom will be with us either way.
In order to preserve our option to be able to worship in person for the rest of the summer, even if covid-19 restrictions are put back in place, the Vestry has approved the rental of a 20x20 foot tent, which will be delivered and installed next week. The tent will provide shade and a roof for our outdoor services, and it will provide immediate meeting space to the 12-Step groups that meet at Grace Church.
I know this is a long email. I want you to know what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. We could not have gotten to this point without your help, your patience, and your willingness to live into something new. We have come a long way together, and we will continue this journey with each other to its end.
God bless you and thank you for being part of our ongoing life which is Grace Church.
Stephen+
The Reverend Stephen Harding, Rector
To the People of Grace Church –
Thank you for your ongoing willingness to try new things as we continue our journey toward in-person worship indoors!
I wanted to tell you the latest developments regarding re-gathering for in-person worship this Sunday and for June:
We held a successful hybrid (in-person and online at the same time) outdoor service last Sunday in the playground. This Sunday’s (June 13) 10am hybrid service will be held outdoors on the lawn between the Rectory and Franklin Street. It will be available on both the lawn and online by Zoom, as we have been doing.
A couple of logistical items for Sunday, June 13:
The 8am service will be outdoors in front of the William Street side of the Church.
If you could bring your own chair to the 10am outdoor service, that would be greatly appreciated. We will have chairs available, but yours may be more comfortable.
If you walk with an assisting device (cane, walker, wheelchair) or if walking is difficult, please enter the Rectory driveway on Franklin Street and park head-in on the lawn between the cones.
To join the service by Zoom, go to our website, www.graceepiscopalmv.org, and click on the “Join us” link.
We ask that those present wear masks. The reason is so that we can sing safely together and so that we can keep each other and those who are not vaccinated safe.
Going forward:
I am reminded that this journey is a process and not an event. We are using the outdoor services to re-learn how to worship with each other in person and to learn how to worship in-person and online at the same time. There will be moments where things won’t go well and moments where things go very well. This is normal, and we will learn, adjust, and adapt to improve the services as we continue.
The second thing about outdoor services is that they give us a chance to see what will happen to the covid-19 numbers on the Vineyard in light of the vaccines, loosening of the restrictions, and the summer influx.
Our plan is to continue to hold outdoor services through June. Based on the data available from the state (www.mass.gov), at the end of June, we will make the decision to continue outdoors for July or begin the transition to services in the church. The online option of Zoom will be with us either way.
In order to preserve our option to be able to worship in person for the rest of the summer, even if covid-19 restrictions are put back in place, the Vestry has approved the rental of a 20x20 foot tent, which will be delivered and installed next week. The tent will provide shade and a roof for our outdoor services, and it will provide immediate meeting space to the 12-Step groups that meet at Grace Church.
I know this is a long email. I want you to know what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. We could not have gotten to this point without your help, your patience, and your willingness to live into something new. We have come a long way together, and we will continue this journey with each other to its end.
God bless you and thank you for being part of our ongoing life which is Grace Church.
Stephen+
The Reverend Stephen Harding, Rector
Our Bishops' May 20 Pastoral Letter with COVID-19 Guidelines
May 20, 2021
Dear People of the Diocese of Massachusetts,
Changing Realities: An In-Between Time
We write to you during Ascensiontide–that period after the departure of the risen Christ from the company of the faithful, but before the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to fulfill Jesus' promise of a renewed, different form of companionship. It was the ultimate in-between time–no longer the old, but not yet the new; headed for a changed reality, but as yet full of questions about what that new reality will look like. Together we are in just such an in-between time–one which will certainly last much longer than the 10 days of liturgical Ascensiontide.
Here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as throughout the country, we are deeply encouraged by hopeful developments in the pandemic struggle. New cases and COVID-19 deaths are declining; vaccination rates are rising. Last week the CDC announced that fully vaccinated persons no longer need to wear masks or physically distance in many settings. Governor Charlie Baker announced on May 17 that all restrictions on businesses will be lifted on May 29, and that the face covering order will be lifted except on public transportation and in healthcare facilities and other settings hosting vulnerable populations.
Local Decisions: Trusting One Another, Protecting One Another
For the past 14 months, clergy and lay leaders of our diocese have faithfully observed limitations on in-person gatherings, bringing together their communities through virtual worship, fellowship, and formation, while also finding concrete ways to serve neighbors in need. We thank you for your extraordinary devotion and leadership! As signs emerge rapidly that many restrictions are no longer needed for those who are fully vaccinated, we feel it is time to entrust local leaders with wider latitude to make most decisions about the pace and scope of regathering, knowing that you will monitor guidance from civic authorities in your own communities, and adjust your practices accordingly. WBUR provides a helpful site for monitoring conditions by town, available here .
At the same time, we also know that there are still in our congregations many vulnerable persons who have yet to be vaccinated. For some, including our youngest members, the vaccine is not yet available; for others, underlying medical conditions or history make vaccination inadvisable. We must still be vigilant to protect one another. A recent article in Sojourners presents this concern compellingly.
Directives provided by public health authorities and civic leaders do not always take into account the particular circumstances of our worshiping communities. While trusting you to stay attuned to directives issued by Governor Baker and local civic leaders, there remain certain guidelines for our common life that we expect you to observe.
In all instances, clergy and vestries who conclude that practices which are more restrictive than those that follow are best in their local context will have our fullest support.
Worship
Effective immediately, and until June 30, indoor in-person worship should be limited to 60% of building capacity. This six-week phase allows for continued expansion of vaccination rates, and the observation of any consequences following swift re-openings in other contexts. Capacity restrictions will be fully lifted July 1, unless statistics warrant a revision to this plan.
We urge you to continue to observe physical distancing between households in order to protect those who are not yet fully vaccinated. Per CDC guidelines, those who are not yet vaccinated should continue wearing a face convering and maintain physical distance. We encourage all worshipers to maintain these precautions in order to protect one another.
Outdoor services are strongly encouraged; no attendance limits are prescribed for such worship.
At the Passing of the Peace, physical contact is discouraged. A slight bow or a hand to the heart remains the safer option.
In the sharing of Holy Eucharist, please use wafers for the distribution of Communion in one kind only. Refrain from using the common cup; individually pre-packaged wine may be used, if desired. While we hope for a future revision of these restrictions, they remain in effect until further notice.
Indoor singing by fully vaccinated people wearing masks has been deemed by the CDC to be a safe activity. Accordingly, singing may be permitted by those fulfilling these conditions. Outdoor singing is permitted. Continued physical distancing, indoors and out, is important for anyone singing.
We hope that congregations will continue to offer virtual opportunities to gather, even when in-person worship and formation resume. This is not only to protect those who are not yet fully vaccinated, but also to benefit from our experience of the past year in reaching a broader circle through online worship and fellowship.
Churches no longer need to submit a plan for regathering; however, we count on vestries and regathering teams to strategize about how best to respond in your specific context. We want to support you in those conversations, so feel free to e-mail Canon Bill Parnell (bparnell@diomass.org ) to arrange a consultation with a regathering shepherd.
Vaccinations
We continue to urge vaccination against the coronavirus for all our members as soon as they are eligible.
We reiterate, however, that our congregations must not require vaccination, nor documentation thereof, for attendance at worship services.
It is within the authority of the rector or priest-in-charge, in consultation with the wardens, to require vaccination (or a medical exemption) of church staff, musicians/choristers, and volunteer leaders of Christian formation (especially with children) and other programs. For the protection of those most vulnerable, we strongly encourage you to do so.
Fellowship and Pastoral Care
Coffee hour and other events with food and drinks may resume. We ask that you plan carefully about how food and drinks are served. Individually wrapped foods and designated servers, as opposed to potlucks or buffets, are a safer option.
Continue to exercise caution when making in-person pastoral visits. Brief visits with minimal physical proximity are safer, especially for those who are most vulnerable due to illness or age.
Christian Formation and Childcare
Christian formation classes and events for all ages may resume, though we ask that you carefully consider ways to reduce the potential for spread of the virus among young children, since they are not yet eligible for vaccination. You may wish to consult with your local schools or daycare providers about the practices they are observing.
Nurseries and childcare may resume provided the standards established by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care are observed.
We recognize that these latest guidelines will not address every situation in your congregation. Here we reiterate our wish at this time to entrust increased discretion to local leaders to make decisions about the pace, scope, and details of regathering that are suited to your local context. You should continue to direct your questions or need of support, as well as your shared wisdom and experiences, to diocesan staff and other colleagues. Please address such communications to Canon Bill Parnell (bparnell@diomass.org ), who will be hosting a drop-in informational session by Zoom on Wednesday, May 26, when he will be available to answer questions between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. (The Zoom link has been e-mailed to clergy and congregational leaders; there is no obligation to stay for the entire session.)
As we continue to live through this in-between time together, we are enormously proud and grateful for your own adaptive, creative, and committed ministry during these challenging months. May the Spirit descend upon you and your congregations anew to fill you with God's grace and strength!
Faithfully,
The Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates, Bishop Diocesan
The Rt. Rev. Gayle E. Harris, Bishop Suffragan
Dear People of the Diocese of Massachusetts,
Changing Realities: An In-Between Time
We write to you during Ascensiontide–that period after the departure of the risen Christ from the company of the faithful, but before the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to fulfill Jesus' promise of a renewed, different form of companionship. It was the ultimate in-between time–no longer the old, but not yet the new; headed for a changed reality, but as yet full of questions about what that new reality will look like. Together we are in just such an in-between time–one which will certainly last much longer than the 10 days of liturgical Ascensiontide.
Here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as throughout the country, we are deeply encouraged by hopeful developments in the pandemic struggle. New cases and COVID-19 deaths are declining; vaccination rates are rising. Last week the CDC announced that fully vaccinated persons no longer need to wear masks or physically distance in many settings. Governor Charlie Baker announced on May 17 that all restrictions on businesses will be lifted on May 29, and that the face covering order will be lifted except on public transportation and in healthcare facilities and other settings hosting vulnerable populations.
Local Decisions: Trusting One Another, Protecting One Another
For the past 14 months, clergy and lay leaders of our diocese have faithfully observed limitations on in-person gatherings, bringing together their communities through virtual worship, fellowship, and formation, while also finding concrete ways to serve neighbors in need. We thank you for your extraordinary devotion and leadership! As signs emerge rapidly that many restrictions are no longer needed for those who are fully vaccinated, we feel it is time to entrust local leaders with wider latitude to make most decisions about the pace and scope of regathering, knowing that you will monitor guidance from civic authorities in your own communities, and adjust your practices accordingly. WBUR provides a helpful site for monitoring conditions by town, available here .
At the same time, we also know that there are still in our congregations many vulnerable persons who have yet to be vaccinated. For some, including our youngest members, the vaccine is not yet available; for others, underlying medical conditions or history make vaccination inadvisable. We must still be vigilant to protect one another. A recent article in Sojourners presents this concern compellingly.
Directives provided by public health authorities and civic leaders do not always take into account the particular circumstances of our worshiping communities. While trusting you to stay attuned to directives issued by Governor Baker and local civic leaders, there remain certain guidelines for our common life that we expect you to observe.
In all instances, clergy and vestries who conclude that practices which are more restrictive than those that follow are best in their local context will have our fullest support.
Worship
Effective immediately, and until June 30, indoor in-person worship should be limited to 60% of building capacity. This six-week phase allows for continued expansion of vaccination rates, and the observation of any consequences following swift re-openings in other contexts. Capacity restrictions will be fully lifted July 1, unless statistics warrant a revision to this plan.
We urge you to continue to observe physical distancing between households in order to protect those who are not yet fully vaccinated. Per CDC guidelines, those who are not yet vaccinated should continue wearing a face convering and maintain physical distance. We encourage all worshipers to maintain these precautions in order to protect one another.
Outdoor services are strongly encouraged; no attendance limits are prescribed for such worship.
At the Passing of the Peace, physical contact is discouraged. A slight bow or a hand to the heart remains the safer option.
In the sharing of Holy Eucharist, please use wafers for the distribution of Communion in one kind only. Refrain from using the common cup; individually pre-packaged wine may be used, if desired. While we hope for a future revision of these restrictions, they remain in effect until further notice.
Indoor singing by fully vaccinated people wearing masks has been deemed by the CDC to be a safe activity. Accordingly, singing may be permitted by those fulfilling these conditions. Outdoor singing is permitted. Continued physical distancing, indoors and out, is important for anyone singing.
We hope that congregations will continue to offer virtual opportunities to gather, even when in-person worship and formation resume. This is not only to protect those who are not yet fully vaccinated, but also to benefit from our experience of the past year in reaching a broader circle through online worship and fellowship.
Churches no longer need to submit a plan for regathering; however, we count on vestries and regathering teams to strategize about how best to respond in your specific context. We want to support you in those conversations, so feel free to e-mail Canon Bill Parnell (bparnell@diomass.org ) to arrange a consultation with a regathering shepherd.
Vaccinations
We continue to urge vaccination against the coronavirus for all our members as soon as they are eligible.
We reiterate, however, that our congregations must not require vaccination, nor documentation thereof, for attendance at worship services.
It is within the authority of the rector or priest-in-charge, in consultation with the wardens, to require vaccination (or a medical exemption) of church staff, musicians/choristers, and volunteer leaders of Christian formation (especially with children) and other programs. For the protection of those most vulnerable, we strongly encourage you to do so.
Fellowship and Pastoral Care
Coffee hour and other events with food and drinks may resume. We ask that you plan carefully about how food and drinks are served. Individually wrapped foods and designated servers, as opposed to potlucks or buffets, are a safer option.
Continue to exercise caution when making in-person pastoral visits. Brief visits with minimal physical proximity are safer, especially for those who are most vulnerable due to illness or age.
Christian Formation and Childcare
Christian formation classes and events for all ages may resume, though we ask that you carefully consider ways to reduce the potential for spread of the virus among young children, since they are not yet eligible for vaccination. You may wish to consult with your local schools or daycare providers about the practices they are observing.
Nurseries and childcare may resume provided the standards established by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care are observed.
We recognize that these latest guidelines will not address every situation in your congregation. Here we reiterate our wish at this time to entrust increased discretion to local leaders to make decisions about the pace, scope, and details of regathering that are suited to your local context. You should continue to direct your questions or need of support, as well as your shared wisdom and experiences, to diocesan staff and other colleagues. Please address such communications to Canon Bill Parnell (bparnell@diomass.org ), who will be hosting a drop-in informational session by Zoom on Wednesday, May 26, when he will be available to answer questions between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. (The Zoom link has been e-mailed to clergy and congregational leaders; there is no obligation to stay for the entire session.)
As we continue to live through this in-between time together, we are enormously proud and grateful for your own adaptive, creative, and committed ministry during these challenging months. May the Spirit descend upon you and your congregations anew to fill you with God's grace and strength!
Faithfully,
The Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates, Bishop Diocesan
The Rt. Rev. Gayle E. Harris, Bishop Suffragan
Our Bishops' April 15 Pastoral Letter with COVID-19 Guidelines
Dear People of the Diocese of Massachusetts,
Alleluia! Christ is risen! We greet you in the resurrection hope which is ours in these Great Fifty Days of Easter.
Renewed Hope, Continuing Vigilance
Since we last wrote to you with renewed guidelines on March 4, there have been signs of continuing hope in the pandemic battle as vaccinations continue. Here in Massachusetts, as of mid-April, some 25 percent of residents are fully vaccinated; well over 40 percent have received their first dose. Nevertheless, other significant statistics have shown negative progress, especially in connection with rapidly spreading variants of the coronavirus which are highly prevalent in the Commonwealth.
Given that combination of hopefulness and the need for continued caution, we re-affirm the message and guidelines we extended on March 4: Effective April 19 leaders in local congregations are invited to consider what level of in-person worship is now appropriate for their local context, while continuing to adhere to the diocesan guidelines and capacity limits which are more restrictive than current Commonwealth protocols. The "Guidelines for Churches after April 19, 2021" and "Summary of COVID-19 Safety Protocols," as issued on March 4, are repeated below.
Our regathering shepherds continue to be available to support congregations and church-related organizations. After consultation with a regathering shepherd, churches are expected to submit a Stage Two regathering checklist (available in English or Spanish ) and have the vestry endorse a request for permission to regather. To request a consultation with a regathering shepherd, contact the Rev. Canon Bill Parnell (bparnell@diomass.org ).
Vaccination: A Gift for Restored Unity, not Division
To our earlier pastoral and theological reflections, we want to add a word about vaccinations.
We urge vaccination against the coronavirus for all our members as soon as they are eligible. In a resolution adopted even prior to the current pandemic, the Episcopal Church's Executive Council stated that "the proper and responsible use of vaccines is a duty not only to our own selves and families but to our communities. Choosing to not vaccinate when it is medically safe, threatens the lives of others." The Executive Council further noted that "Episcopalians should seek the counsel of experienced medical professionals, scientific research, and epidemiological evidence" with regard to vaccines. We urge that all our churches encourage vaccination and collaborate with their local Board of Health.
We recognize that there are some persons who cannot be vaccinated at this time. This includes all of our youngest members (those under the age of 16, who are not currently eligible), as well as those for whom vaccination may not be wise due to medical conditions. In addition, public health officials are not yet of one mind regarding the possibility that vaccinated persons could spread the virus even if asymptomatic.
We cannot permit our churches to require vaccination, nor documentation thereof, for participation in worship services or events. Rather, any in-person gatherings should continue to reflect precautions that will protect all persons, vaccinated or not, and remote access to worship should continue as an available option. Vaccines are not yet universally available, and, as noted above, there may be some persons for whom vaccination is not advised.
"Wait for one another!" (I Corinthians 11:33) In the earliest Christian community at Corinth, Saint Paul discovered that members were gathering and consuming their own food without regard to other members' ability to be part of that meal. Reflecting on the fully communal nature of the Lord's Supper--and by extension, the whole life of the Christian community--Paul urges forbearance and the avoidance of gatherings which would highlight inequities between its members. (I Cor. 11:18-22, 33-34) Our Christian gatherings must not be structured or restricted by distinctions that divide us. While there may be some contexts in which vaccination documentation will be altogether appropriate, we believe strongly that Christian community is not one of them!
As we traverse the Easter season, we rejoice at continuing signs of renewal and rebirth, and we look forward to all the renewed beginnings in church and world which will be enabled best by our continued care. This comes with our continued gratitude for each of you--individually and collectively--and for your faithful ministries in service of God and all the people of God.
Faithfully and gratefully,
The Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates, Bishop Diocesan
The Rt. Rev. Gayle E. Harris, Bishop Suffragan
Additional Resources:
Observe capacity limits for in-person gatherings. Our expectation is that gatherings in our churches will not exceed 75 persons maximum or 35% capacity/6-foot distancing between immediate households for indoor events, whichever is lower. Outdoor events should not exceed 150 persons maximum. We recognize that these limits are somewhat more restrictive than the Commonwealth guidelines taking effect in March, reflecting our attention to health officials’ response to those guidelines.
Continue virtual gatherings. Many churches have shown wonderful creativity by providing online Sunday worship and the Daily Office in a variety of formats, virtual coffee hours and Bible studies, and many other expressions of community. It is our expectation that virtual offerings will continue even when in-person gatherings resume so that as many as possible will be included in our life together.
Serve your neighbors. The economic toll of the pandemic continues to unfold. Congregations have given sacrificially to care for the hungry, unhoused, and unemployed, following best practices for safety. The need is still great. We trust every congregation will be seeking ways to help bear the burden of neighbors in need.
Continue to follow safety protocols. During the early stages of the pandemic, A Journey By Stages provided detailed guidance for various phases of regathering. Last summer we published Expanded Guidelines for Holy Communion, Holy Baptism, and pastoral visits. While these protocols are still in effect, we recognize that changing capacity limits and modifications to safety protocols over the past year have been confusing. At the end of this communication is a summary which combines the guidance from these two documents as they pertain to the current phase of regathering.
Be prepared to return to more restrictive practices. As we have seen with multiple surges in cases of COVID-19, the trajectory of the pandemic is not one of linear progress. Depending on resurgence or mutation of the virus, or the rise of a new threat to public health, a return to restrictive practices may be necessary.
Stay hopeful. We bear hope that widespread vaccination will happen in the coming weeks and that better treatments for the coronavirus will emerge. Life will not return to normal because we and our society have been changed by this pandemic. As we move forward into this next phase, we urge you to stay focused on what God is teaching us through this time. The church has much to learn and much to offer.
SUMMARY OF COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS
The following is a summary of protocols from A Journey By Stages and the Expanded Guidelines. Please consult these documents for more detailed guidance and resources.
Alleluia! Christ is risen! We greet you in the resurrection hope which is ours in these Great Fifty Days of Easter.
Renewed Hope, Continuing Vigilance
Since we last wrote to you with renewed guidelines on March 4, there have been signs of continuing hope in the pandemic battle as vaccinations continue. Here in Massachusetts, as of mid-April, some 25 percent of residents are fully vaccinated; well over 40 percent have received their first dose. Nevertheless, other significant statistics have shown negative progress, especially in connection with rapidly spreading variants of the coronavirus which are highly prevalent in the Commonwealth.
Given that combination of hopefulness and the need for continued caution, we re-affirm the message and guidelines we extended on March 4: Effective April 19 leaders in local congregations are invited to consider what level of in-person worship is now appropriate for their local context, while continuing to adhere to the diocesan guidelines and capacity limits which are more restrictive than current Commonwealth protocols. The "Guidelines for Churches after April 19, 2021" and "Summary of COVID-19 Safety Protocols," as issued on March 4, are repeated below.
Our regathering shepherds continue to be available to support congregations and church-related organizations. After consultation with a regathering shepherd, churches are expected to submit a Stage Two regathering checklist (available in English or Spanish ) and have the vestry endorse a request for permission to regather. To request a consultation with a regathering shepherd, contact the Rev. Canon Bill Parnell (bparnell@diomass.org ).
Vaccination: A Gift for Restored Unity, not Division
To our earlier pastoral and theological reflections, we want to add a word about vaccinations.
We urge vaccination against the coronavirus for all our members as soon as they are eligible. In a resolution adopted even prior to the current pandemic, the Episcopal Church's Executive Council stated that "the proper and responsible use of vaccines is a duty not only to our own selves and families but to our communities. Choosing to not vaccinate when it is medically safe, threatens the lives of others." The Executive Council further noted that "Episcopalians should seek the counsel of experienced medical professionals, scientific research, and epidemiological evidence" with regard to vaccines. We urge that all our churches encourage vaccination and collaborate with their local Board of Health.
We recognize that there are some persons who cannot be vaccinated at this time. This includes all of our youngest members (those under the age of 16, who are not currently eligible), as well as those for whom vaccination may not be wise due to medical conditions. In addition, public health officials are not yet of one mind regarding the possibility that vaccinated persons could spread the virus even if asymptomatic.
We cannot permit our churches to require vaccination, nor documentation thereof, for participation in worship services or events. Rather, any in-person gatherings should continue to reflect precautions that will protect all persons, vaccinated or not, and remote access to worship should continue as an available option. Vaccines are not yet universally available, and, as noted above, there may be some persons for whom vaccination is not advised.
"Wait for one another!" (I Corinthians 11:33) In the earliest Christian community at Corinth, Saint Paul discovered that members were gathering and consuming their own food without regard to other members' ability to be part of that meal. Reflecting on the fully communal nature of the Lord's Supper--and by extension, the whole life of the Christian community--Paul urges forbearance and the avoidance of gatherings which would highlight inequities between its members. (I Cor. 11:18-22, 33-34) Our Christian gatherings must not be structured or restricted by distinctions that divide us. While there may be some contexts in which vaccination documentation will be altogether appropriate, we believe strongly that Christian community is not one of them!
As we traverse the Easter season, we rejoice at continuing signs of renewal and rebirth, and we look forward to all the renewed beginnings in church and world which will be enabled best by our continued care. This comes with our continued gratitude for each of you--individually and collectively--and for your faithful ministries in service of God and all the people of God.
Faithfully and gratefully,
The Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates, Bishop Diocesan
The Rt. Rev. Gayle E. Harris, Bishop Suffragan
Additional Resources:
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have offered encouraging public health recommendations for fully vaccinated people with regard to travel and small private gatherings. We observe, however, that this guidance is accompanied by ongoing precautions in public settings. Worship services and other church events are not to be viewed as private gatherings, and safety protocols are still mandatory. Churches should continue to follow the safety protocols described in our March 4 communication.
- Breaking Down Coronavirus Here In Charts : WBUR provides a website for tracking the progress of vaccinations in Massachusetts, as well as coronavirus risk assessment by community. It is an excellent resource for keeping track of the latest information about the pandemic on a town-by-town basis.
- COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Initiative Communities provides resources for each of the Commonwealth's 20 hardest-hit communities to increase equity in COVID-19 vaccine awareness and access. Fifteen of the communities are in our diocese: Boston, Brockton, Chelsea, Everett, Fall River, Framingham, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, Methuen, New Bedford, Randolph, and Revere.
- The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations has produced a vaccine toolkit which provides valuable information about vaccine availability and vaccine hesitation, as well as actions for congregations to take in order to get as many as possible vaccinated.
- A funeral assistance program is offered by the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), reimbursing people for costs associated with COVID-19 deaths in the United States since Jan. 20, 2020. The program covers all U.S. COVID-19 deaths regardless of citizenship status. Church leaders are encouraged to share information among members and others who might need such assistance. A program description is here . Additional information and FAQs are here .
- "Hybrid Church - A Way Forward for Church Leaders ," written by the Rev. Tim Schenck, rector of the Parish of St. John the Evangelist in Hingham, is an article in the Episcopal Church Foundation's Vital Practices newsletter which offers "a framework for working through the challenges and opportunities in front of us" for a post-pandemic church. While every congregation's context is different, this article points us to some good questions to be asking in churches of all sizes.
"Guidelines for Churches after April 19, 2021" and the "Summary of COVID-19 Safety Protocols" as issued on March 4, 2021, follow below.
GUIDELINES for CHURCHES after APRIL 19, 2021
Observe capacity limits for in-person gatherings. Our expectation is that gatherings in our churches will not exceed 75 persons maximum or 35% capacity/6-foot distancing between immediate households for indoor events, whichever is lower. Outdoor events should not exceed 150 persons maximum. We recognize that these limits are somewhat more restrictive than the Commonwealth guidelines taking effect in March, reflecting our attention to health officials’ response to those guidelines.
Continue virtual gatherings. Many churches have shown wonderful creativity by providing online Sunday worship and the Daily Office in a variety of formats, virtual coffee hours and Bible studies, and many other expressions of community. It is our expectation that virtual offerings will continue even when in-person gatherings resume so that as many as possible will be included in our life together.
Serve your neighbors. The economic toll of the pandemic continues to unfold. Congregations have given sacrificially to care for the hungry, unhoused, and unemployed, following best practices for safety. The need is still great. We trust every congregation will be seeking ways to help bear the burden of neighbors in need.
Continue to follow safety protocols. During the early stages of the pandemic, A Journey By Stages provided detailed guidance for various phases of regathering. Last summer we published Expanded Guidelines for Holy Communion, Holy Baptism, and pastoral visits. While these protocols are still in effect, we recognize that changing capacity limits and modifications to safety protocols over the past year have been confusing. At the end of this communication is a summary which combines the guidance from these two documents as they pertain to the current phase of regathering.
Be prepared to return to more restrictive practices. As we have seen with multiple surges in cases of COVID-19, the trajectory of the pandemic is not one of linear progress. Depending on resurgence or mutation of the virus, or the rise of a new threat to public health, a return to restrictive practices may be necessary.
Stay hopeful. We bear hope that widespread vaccination will happen in the coming weeks and that better treatments for the coronavirus will emerge. Life will not return to normal because we and our society have been changed by this pandemic. As we move forward into this next phase, we urge you to stay focused on what God is teaching us through this time. The church has much to learn and much to offer.
SUMMARY OF COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS
The following is a summary of protocols from A Journey By Stages and the Expanded Guidelines. Please consult these documents for more detailed guidance and resources.
- Practice safety. Stay home if you are sick or feeling unwell. Consider participating in events virtually, especially if you have not yet been vaccinated or are at higher risk. Wear masks, even if you have been vaccinated, to protect yourself and those around you.
- Capacity limits effective April 19, 2021: 75 persons indoors, 150 persons outdoors OR 35% occupancy with 6-foot distance between households, whichever is lower. Capacity limits are to be observed for weddings and funerals as well.
- Registration for services and events is strongly encouraged.
- Ventilate buildings: Open windows or set HVAC systems to introduce fresh air wherever possible. Consider outdoor gatherings where indoor spaces cannot be well-ventilated.
- Follow the latest CDC guidance for faith-based facilities and cleaning and disinfecting instructions .
- Have a safety plan. Implement a detailed plan for physical distancing, signage, and traffic patterns. Require and provide masks. Make hand sanitizer available. Limit the numbers of persons in bathrooms at any one time.
- Remove all prayer books, Bibles, and hymnals. Fonts and holy water stoups are to remain empty.
- Congregational singing is not yet permitted. A cantor or choristers may sing provided they wear masks and keep substantial distance from one another and the congregation. Twenty foot distance is the best practice.
- The Peace is to be exchanged without physical touch. Offer a reverent bow, wave, or greeting while maintaining physical distance.
- Holy Communion is distributed as bread only. Pay careful attention to preparation and hygiene practices as described in the Expanded Guidelines.
- No communal gatherings pre- or post-service are yet permitted, e.g., coffee hours or other food services.
- Formation events for children are permitted only where parents or guardians tend their children, and households are kept at least 6 feet apart. Classes where children and teachers from multiple households are in close proximity to one another are not permitted. Nursery care is not permitted. Youth groups may meet according to the Guidelines for Youth Groups.
- Baptism may be administered following protocols in the Expanded Guidelines (page 9). Special care should be exercised when a young child or a person who is at higher risk is to be baptized or is among the parents and sponsors.
- Pastoral visits are to follow protocols as detailed in the Expanded Guidelines. Pastoral and eucharistic visits are to be kept brief. Observe the protocols of the hospital or care facility at all times.
Our Bishops' March 4, 2021 Pastoral Letter and Renewed Covid-19 Guidelines
A Pastoral Letter from the Bishops
with renewed COVID-19 Guidelines
March 4, 2021
Those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength.
(Isaiah 40:31)
Ethics is essentially about how we negotiate our own and other people’s vulnerabilities.
(Archbishop Rowan Williams)
Dear People of the Diocese of Massachusetts,
An Anniversary marking Weariness and Gratitude: As we arrive at the one-year anniversary of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we find ourselves waiting – with both deep fatigue and eager hope – for a return to the fuller life of community in church and world. Our grief at this long year of separation is real. Our relief at hopeful signs in the pandemic battle is palpable.
We are profoundly grateful for the faithfulness with which the people of our diocese have responded to the challenges of the past year. Through creative adaptations to worship, pastoral care, and service to the communities around us, our churches and people have refused to be “on hiatus.” Now our task is to continue caring for ourselves and one another with simultaneous attention to both factual health advisories and our Christian moral imperatives.
Hopeful Signs and Tempering Cautions: After a rocky start, the U.S. vaccine rollout has begun to gain traction. Thanks to vaccinations and to adherence to restrictions, infection rates, hospitalizations, and COVID-related deaths have been declining – though in some instances that progress has stalled. Governor Baker has announced that, effective incrementally on March 1 and March 22, previously closed business sectors will be allowed to reopen and capacity restrictions will be eased.
However, public health officials in recent days have cautioned strenuously that such reopenings are premature and risk stalling or reversing recent progress. We are advised that the baseline level of coronavirus cases needs to fall further before we resume normal activities, especially in light of the arrival of new fast-spreading variants of the virus. Says the new CDC chief , “We may be done with the virus, but clearly the virus is not done with us. We cannot get comfortable or give in to a false sense of security that the worst of the pandemic is behind us, not when mass vaccination is so very close.”
Christian Moral Imperatives: In the face of the economic and social hardships of this pandemic, our decisions as Christians must align these health guidelines with Christian moral theology. We have been reminded in the past year of Saint Paul’s admonition that things which are “permissible” are not necessarily things that are “beneficial” to the common good. (I Corinthians 10:23) We bear responsibility towards the well-being of others, especially the most vulnerable among us. At a gathering of bishops last week, we were reminded by a Christian ethicist that “the earthly city is promoted not merely by relationships of rights and duties, but to an even greater extent by relationships” of unearned mercy and commitment to our common life. [i]
This Christian moral emphasis on communal obligation is reflected in a recent medical essay urging caution while the vaccination rollout continues. “Our social lives can resume, but only when the whole community is ready. The turning point does not arrive for individuals, one by one, as soon as they’ve been vaccinated; it comes for all of us at once, when a population become immune.” [ii]
Here and Now. All of this leads us, your bishops, to a posture of hopeful caution. We look to the impending Easter Season of Resurrection eager for new beginnings. We also believe that our actions must continue to manifest the utmost concern for one another as an act of love. Accordingly, we strongly urge the continued suspension of in-person, indoor worship until at least April 19, affirming meanwhile all limitations of our prior guidelines. This April date, timed four weeks after the Commonwealth’s March 22 milestone for re-openings, will allow us to observe any resumed surge resulting from public gatherings, and will provide additional time for vaccinations to begin establishing baseline levels of immunity. Any congregation which despite our counsel has chosen to continue limited in-person gatherings under the restrictions of the diocese and Commonwealth should maintain the limitations described in our Nov. 19 communique through April 19.
More detailed guidelines for regathering after April 19, and a summary of previously issued protocols, are below.
As we look towards Holy Week and Easter, we know that traversing these holy days once more with distancing restrictions is a deep disappointment. We believe, however, that such restraint is precisely reflective of Christ’s Maundy Thursday mandate to love one another, and the Good Friday message of sacrifice. Incremental regathering in the long Easter season will be a true experience of renewed life and a rich blessing!
This comes with thanksgiving for each of you and your faithful ministries, and with hope and confidence that the church is being called in new ways to share in God’s mission.
Faithfully,
The Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates, Bishop Diocesan
The Rt. Rev. Gayle E. Harris, Bishop Suffragan
[i] Dr. Scott Bader-Saye, Professor of Christian Ethics and Moral Theology at Seminary of the Southwest, based upon Caritas in Veritate (Benedict XVI, 2009).
[ii] James Hamblin, M.D., lecturer at Yale School of Public Health, in “The False Dilemma of Post-Vaccination Risk,” The Atlantic, 2/26/2021.
GUIDELINES for CHURCHES after APRIL 19, 2021
SUMMARY OF COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS
The following is a summary of protocols from A Journey By Stages and the Expanded Guidelines. Please consult these documents for more detailed guidance and resources.
with renewed COVID-19 Guidelines
March 4, 2021
Those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength.
(Isaiah 40:31)
Ethics is essentially about how we negotiate our own and other people’s vulnerabilities.
(Archbishop Rowan Williams)
Dear People of the Diocese of Massachusetts,
An Anniversary marking Weariness and Gratitude: As we arrive at the one-year anniversary of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we find ourselves waiting – with both deep fatigue and eager hope – for a return to the fuller life of community in church and world. Our grief at this long year of separation is real. Our relief at hopeful signs in the pandemic battle is palpable.
We are profoundly grateful for the faithfulness with which the people of our diocese have responded to the challenges of the past year. Through creative adaptations to worship, pastoral care, and service to the communities around us, our churches and people have refused to be “on hiatus.” Now our task is to continue caring for ourselves and one another with simultaneous attention to both factual health advisories and our Christian moral imperatives.
Hopeful Signs and Tempering Cautions: After a rocky start, the U.S. vaccine rollout has begun to gain traction. Thanks to vaccinations and to adherence to restrictions, infection rates, hospitalizations, and COVID-related deaths have been declining – though in some instances that progress has stalled. Governor Baker has announced that, effective incrementally on March 1 and March 22, previously closed business sectors will be allowed to reopen and capacity restrictions will be eased.
However, public health officials in recent days have cautioned strenuously that such reopenings are premature and risk stalling or reversing recent progress. We are advised that the baseline level of coronavirus cases needs to fall further before we resume normal activities, especially in light of the arrival of new fast-spreading variants of the virus. Says the new CDC chief , “We may be done with the virus, but clearly the virus is not done with us. We cannot get comfortable or give in to a false sense of security that the worst of the pandemic is behind us, not when mass vaccination is so very close.”
Christian Moral Imperatives: In the face of the economic and social hardships of this pandemic, our decisions as Christians must align these health guidelines with Christian moral theology. We have been reminded in the past year of Saint Paul’s admonition that things which are “permissible” are not necessarily things that are “beneficial” to the common good. (I Corinthians 10:23) We bear responsibility towards the well-being of others, especially the most vulnerable among us. At a gathering of bishops last week, we were reminded by a Christian ethicist that “the earthly city is promoted not merely by relationships of rights and duties, but to an even greater extent by relationships” of unearned mercy and commitment to our common life. [i]
This Christian moral emphasis on communal obligation is reflected in a recent medical essay urging caution while the vaccination rollout continues. “Our social lives can resume, but only when the whole community is ready. The turning point does not arrive for individuals, one by one, as soon as they’ve been vaccinated; it comes for all of us at once, when a population become immune.” [ii]
Here and Now. All of this leads us, your bishops, to a posture of hopeful caution. We look to the impending Easter Season of Resurrection eager for new beginnings. We also believe that our actions must continue to manifest the utmost concern for one another as an act of love. Accordingly, we strongly urge the continued suspension of in-person, indoor worship until at least April 19, affirming meanwhile all limitations of our prior guidelines. This April date, timed four weeks after the Commonwealth’s March 22 milestone for re-openings, will allow us to observe any resumed surge resulting from public gatherings, and will provide additional time for vaccinations to begin establishing baseline levels of immunity. Any congregation which despite our counsel has chosen to continue limited in-person gatherings under the restrictions of the diocese and Commonwealth should maintain the limitations described in our Nov. 19 communique through April 19.
More detailed guidelines for regathering after April 19, and a summary of previously issued protocols, are below.
As we look towards Holy Week and Easter, we know that traversing these holy days once more with distancing restrictions is a deep disappointment. We believe, however, that such restraint is precisely reflective of Christ’s Maundy Thursday mandate to love one another, and the Good Friday message of sacrifice. Incremental regathering in the long Easter season will be a true experience of renewed life and a rich blessing!
This comes with thanksgiving for each of you and your faithful ministries, and with hope and confidence that the church is being called in new ways to share in God’s mission.
Faithfully,
The Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates, Bishop Diocesan
The Rt. Rev. Gayle E. Harris, Bishop Suffragan
[i] Dr. Scott Bader-Saye, Professor of Christian Ethics and Moral Theology at Seminary of the Southwest, based upon Caritas in Veritate (Benedict XVI, 2009).
[ii] James Hamblin, M.D., lecturer at Yale School of Public Health, in “The False Dilemma of Post-Vaccination Risk,” The Atlantic, 2/26/2021.
GUIDELINES for CHURCHES after APRIL 19, 2021
- Follow public health best practices. We must continue to follow practices that will help sustain the progress that has been made so far. We strongly urge all persons to follow the counsel of public health leaders by wearing two masks, maintaining physical distancing, washing hands frequently, and avoiding unnecessary visits to public places. We especially urge caution for those who have yet to be vaccinated and those who are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19.
- Observe capacity limits for in-person gatherings. Our expectation is that gatherings in our churches will not exceed 75 persons maximum or 35% capacity/6-foot distancing between immediate households for indoor events, whichever is lower. Outdoor events should not exceed 150 persons maximum. We recognize that these limits are somewhat more restrictive than the Commonwealth guidelines taking effect in March, reflecting our attention to health officials’ response to those guidelines.
- Continue virtual gatherings. Many churches have shown wonderful creativity by providing online Sunday worship and the Daily Office in a variety of formats, virtual coffee hours and Bible studies, and many other expressions of community. It is our expectation that virtual offerings will continue even when in-person gatherings resume so that as many as possible will be included in our life together.
- Serve your neighbors. The economic toll of the pandemic continues to unfold. Congregations have given sacrificially to care for the hungry, unhoused, and unemployed, following best practices for safety. The need is still great. We trust every congregation will be seeking ways to help bear the burden of neighbors in need.
- Continue to follow safety protocols. During the early stages of the pandemic, A Journey By Stages provided detailed guidance for various phases of regathering. Last summer we published Expanded Guidelines for Holy Communion, Holy Baptism, and pastoral visits. While these protocols are still in effect, we recognize that changing capacity limits and modifications to safety protocols over the past year have been confusing. At the end of this communication is a summary which combines the guidance from these two documents as they pertain to the current phase of regathering/
- Be prepared to return to more restrictive practices. As we have seen with multiple surges in cases of COVID-19, the trajectory of the pandemic is not one of linear progress. Depending on resurgence or mutation of the virus, or the rise of a new threat to public health, a return to restrictive practices may be necessary.
- Stay hopeful. We bear hope that widespread vaccination will happen in the coming weeks and that better treatments for the coronavirus will emerge. Life will not return to normal because we and our society have been changed by this pandemic. As we move forward into this next phase, we urge you to stay focused on what God is teaching us through this time. The church has much to learn and much to offer.
SUMMARY OF COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS
The following is a summary of protocols from A Journey By Stages and the Expanded Guidelines. Please consult these documents for more detailed guidance and resources.
- Practice safety. Stay home if you are sick or feeling unwell. Consider participating in events virtually, especially if you have not yet been vaccinated or are at higher risk. Wear masks, even if you have been vaccinated, to protect yourself and those around you.
- Capacity limits effective April 19, 2021: 75 persons indoors, 150 persons outdoors OR 35% occupancy with 6-foot distance between households, whichever is lower. Capacity limits are to be observed for weddings and funerals as well.
- Registration for services and events is strongly encouraged.
- Ventilate buildings: Open windows or set HVAC systems to introduce fresh air wherever possible. Consider outdoor gatherings where indoor spaces cannot be well-ventilated.
- Follow the latest CDC guidance for faith-based facilities and cleaning and disinfecting instructions .
- Have a safety plan. Implement a detailed plan for physical distancing, signage, and traffic patterns. Require and provide masks. Make hand sanitizer available. Limit the numbers of persons in bathrooms at any one time.
- Remove all prayer books, Bibles, and hymnals. Fonts and holy water stoups are to remain empty.
- Congregational singing is not yet permitted. A cantor or choristers may sing provided they wear masks and keep substantial distance from one another and the congregation. Twenty foot distance is the best practice.
- The Peace is to be exchanged without physical touch. Offer a reverent bow, wave, or greeting while maintaining physical distance.
- Holy Communion is distributed as bread only. Pay careful attention to preparation and hygiene practices as described in the Expanded Guidelines.
- No communal gatherings pre- or post-service are yet permitted, e.g., coffee hours or other food services.
- Formation events for children are permitted only where parents or guardians tend their children, and households are kept at least 6 feet apart. Classes where children and teachers from multiple households are in close proximity to one another are not permitted. Nursery care is not permitted. Youth groups may meet according to the Guidelines for Youth Groups.
- Baptism may be administered following protocols in the Expanded Guidelines (page 9). Special care should be exercised when a young child or a person who is at higher risk is to be baptized or is among the parents and sponsors.
- Pastoral visits are to follow protocols as detailed in the Expanded Guidelines. Pastoral and eucharistic visits are to be kept brief. Observe the protocols of the hospital or care facility at all times.
Regathering Information for Grace Church
October 27, 2020
Thanks to the work of the Regathering Committee and Chris Berry, we have received approval from the Diocese to re-gather for in-person worship under the following guidelines and provisions, and provided that the number of positive covid-19 cases remains below 3% of those tested on the Vineyard. Should that percentage of positive cases on the Vineyard reach 3% or more, we will notify you by email that in-person worship is cancelled and that we will revert to our online zoom worship on Sundays. If the 3% level of infection is reached, meetings and small group meetings will not meet in any of the parish buildings.
Because we know that many are not yet ready to be in church physically, we have invested in our wireless capability so that we will be able to continue our ability to hold services online. The difference is that now we will be holding our zoom worship service from inside Grace Church.
Our intent is to offer the same service at the same time to those physically in church and those online. Now that we have the internet capacity, the decision has been made that all Grace Church events, religious services, meetings, small group work, etc., will be available in person and online.
Parish Committees and Groups
Starting on November 2, all Parish Committees and groups will be able to meet in the Parish Hall, subject to the following conditions.
• All in person meetings need to have a zoom link for those not yet ready to gather in person
• Meetings (except for Vestry Meetings) are to be held in the Parish Hall between the hours of 9am and 1pm to allow for cleaning between meetings and before the offices are closed for the day.
• All meetings must take place between Monday and Friday. We are not scheduling or hosting weekend meetings except for Church services at this time.
• The kitchen, including the coffee machine and kettle, is not available for use at this time.
• Please schedule your meeting with Maureen O’Malley, our Parish Administrator, in advance.
• The Andersen Room is not available because it is too small for physical distancing and harder to clean.
Church Services and Worship
Subject to the 3% number of positive cases on the Vineyard, we are able to re-gather for in-person worship at Grace Church under the guidelines and protocols of the Commonwealth and the Diocese of Massachusetts:
• Seating is limited to 40% of capacity and 6 feet minimum distance between persons not in the same household bubble. For us, that means 26 people in the church and 12 in the Parish Hall, for a total of 38 maximum per service at this time.
• There will be no congregational singing, as singing increases the possibility of infection;
• Sunday School and Coffee Hour are suspended at this point;
• The 6 foot distance is to be maintained during the Exchange of the Peace; and
• Offering plates are to be placed at the back of the church and not passed among/to the Congregation.
• Masks are required throughout the service and will be provided as needed.
• Everyone is required to wash their hands before entering the seating area.
• For potential contact tracing purposes, those present will be asked for their name(s) and contact information. Should anyone present test positive for Covid-19, a copy of the record of attendance will be given to the Tisbury Board of Health.
Conditions unique to Grace Church
• We have two congregational seating areas: the Church itself and the Parish Hall.
• If you enter the Church from William Street, you will be asked to remain in the church throughout the service, unless you need the restrooms. If such is the case, please follow the directional arrows on the floor to comply with the distancing requirement.
• If you enter the Parish Hall from Woodlawn Avenue, you will be asked to remain in the Parish Hall throughout the service.
• Wes Nagy and Jan Hyer will remain seated at or next to the piano throughout the service.
• In the Church, seating is available at the ends of every third pew; in the Parish Hall, chairs have been set up at a 6’ distance.
• Families or members in the same household bubble will be seated next to each other, either by all sitting in the same pew in Church or by moving additional chairs together in the Parish Hall
• In order to reduce the possibility of infection, both the Church and the Parish Hall will be seated from the front. This means that the front row of seating areas will be filled first, and then moving to the back. Exiting will be from the back rows first so that people are not walking by each other.
• There will be an usher at the entrance to the Church and at the entrance to the Parish Hall. Please be ready to sanitize your hands as you give them your name and contact information and then sit where they indicate.
• A bulletin will be placed on the designated seating areas in advance. This reduces the need for shared materials and indicates seating. Please bring the bulletin home with you.
Bathrooms and Cleaning
• The bathrooms (and everything else) will be cleaned before Sunday. There will be a can of disinfecting spray in each bathroom. Please spray the toilet and sink handles after use.
• The Church, Parish Hall, and bathrooms will be cleaned after each service.
Respectfully submitted,
Deborah Medders
Joan Merry
Maureen O’Malley
The Rev’d Stephen Harding, Rector
Regathering Committee
Thanks to the work of the Regathering Committee and Chris Berry, we have received approval from the Diocese to re-gather for in-person worship under the following guidelines and provisions, and provided that the number of positive covid-19 cases remains below 3% of those tested on the Vineyard. Should that percentage of positive cases on the Vineyard reach 3% or more, we will notify you by email that in-person worship is cancelled and that we will revert to our online zoom worship on Sundays. If the 3% level of infection is reached, meetings and small group meetings will not meet in any of the parish buildings.
Because we know that many are not yet ready to be in church physically, we have invested in our wireless capability so that we will be able to continue our ability to hold services online. The difference is that now we will be holding our zoom worship service from inside Grace Church.
Our intent is to offer the same service at the same time to those physically in church and those online. Now that we have the internet capacity, the decision has been made that all Grace Church events, religious services, meetings, small group work, etc., will be available in person and online.
Parish Committees and Groups
Starting on November 2, all Parish Committees and groups will be able to meet in the Parish Hall, subject to the following conditions.
• All in person meetings need to have a zoom link for those not yet ready to gather in person
• Meetings (except for Vestry Meetings) are to be held in the Parish Hall between the hours of 9am and 1pm to allow for cleaning between meetings and before the offices are closed for the day.
• All meetings must take place between Monday and Friday. We are not scheduling or hosting weekend meetings except for Church services at this time.
• The kitchen, including the coffee machine and kettle, is not available for use at this time.
• Please schedule your meeting with Maureen O’Malley, our Parish Administrator, in advance.
• The Andersen Room is not available because it is too small for physical distancing and harder to clean.
Church Services and Worship
Subject to the 3% number of positive cases on the Vineyard, we are able to re-gather for in-person worship at Grace Church under the guidelines and protocols of the Commonwealth and the Diocese of Massachusetts:
• Seating is limited to 40% of capacity and 6 feet minimum distance between persons not in the same household bubble. For us, that means 26 people in the church and 12 in the Parish Hall, for a total of 38 maximum per service at this time.
• There will be no congregational singing, as singing increases the possibility of infection;
• Sunday School and Coffee Hour are suspended at this point;
• The 6 foot distance is to be maintained during the Exchange of the Peace; and
• Offering plates are to be placed at the back of the church and not passed among/to the Congregation.
• Masks are required throughout the service and will be provided as needed.
• Everyone is required to wash their hands before entering the seating area.
• For potential contact tracing purposes, those present will be asked for their name(s) and contact information. Should anyone present test positive for Covid-19, a copy of the record of attendance will be given to the Tisbury Board of Health.
Conditions unique to Grace Church
• We have two congregational seating areas: the Church itself and the Parish Hall.
• If you enter the Church from William Street, you will be asked to remain in the church throughout the service, unless you need the restrooms. If such is the case, please follow the directional arrows on the floor to comply with the distancing requirement.
• If you enter the Parish Hall from Woodlawn Avenue, you will be asked to remain in the Parish Hall throughout the service.
• Wes Nagy and Jan Hyer will remain seated at or next to the piano throughout the service.
• In the Church, seating is available at the ends of every third pew; in the Parish Hall, chairs have been set up at a 6’ distance.
• Families or members in the same household bubble will be seated next to each other, either by all sitting in the same pew in Church or by moving additional chairs together in the Parish Hall
• In order to reduce the possibility of infection, both the Church and the Parish Hall will be seated from the front. This means that the front row of seating areas will be filled first, and then moving to the back. Exiting will be from the back rows first so that people are not walking by each other.
• There will be an usher at the entrance to the Church and at the entrance to the Parish Hall. Please be ready to sanitize your hands as you give them your name and contact information and then sit where they indicate.
• A bulletin will be placed on the designated seating areas in advance. This reduces the need for shared materials and indicates seating. Please bring the bulletin home with you.
Bathrooms and Cleaning
• The bathrooms (and everything else) will be cleaned before Sunday. There will be a can of disinfecting spray in each bathroom. Please spray the toilet and sink handles after use.
• The Church, Parish Hall, and bathrooms will be cleaned after each service.
Respectfully submitted,
Deborah Medders
Joan Merry
Maureen O’Malley
The Rev’d Stephen Harding, Rector
Regathering Committee
A Journey by Stages: the Diocese of Western Massachusetts & Diocese of Massachusetts' Guidance from our Bishops for Re-Gathering
Click on the image or here to be brought to the full document from our Bishops.
Scroll down for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Mandatory Protocols...
