Dear Parishioners and Friends,

I've gotten several questions about how we are dealing with the threat of the novel Coronavirus at St. Mary's and wanted to reach out to you to discuss current plans & preparations.

Our Diocese and the Episcopal Church are monitoring the situation closely and, while no specific changes have been recommended yet at the parish level, I want to remind you all of some basic liturgical hygienic practices that have long proven successful:

  • Do not come to church or meetings if you feel ill (contact me or a member of the pastoral care team and we can bring communion to you or help in other ways as needed).

  • Clergy and Eucharistic Ministers should wash their hands with soap and water before services and use hand sanitizer before distributing communion; parishioners should do likewise.

  • During the Peace, graceful provision should be made for those who do not wish to have direct physical contact with their fellow worshipers either because of their vulnerability to infection or their concern about their own state of health. An elbow bump or simple wave still gets the point across.

  • At Communion, drinking from the common cup with proper purificator procedure presents relatively low risk; intinction (dipping the wafer into the cup) should be avoided as it may actually increase the spread of disease, as the wafer spends more time in the (possibly unclean) hand before being dipped in the wine.

  • Receiving the Sacrament "in one kind" has always been an acceptable alternative for communicants. While we promote the use of the common cup, we also want to offer this option for those who prefer it since it too has ancient precedent in our spiritual life.

Please rest assured we will continue to monitor the situation and take all necessary steps to protect our parishioners and the broader community. We pray for the sick and those who care for them, especially first responders, nurses, doctors, and scientists whose lives are dedicated to the public good.

Blessings,
Father Rick

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