From Bishop Monnot: COVID Update

 

Dear siblings in Christ,

As our state and our country is experiencing a dramatic spike in COVID cases and hospitals are filling to capacity, your Regathering Task Force met to consider what we, Episcopalians in Iowa, can do now and in the next several weeks to follow our call to love God and to love our neighbor.

First, we recognize that we are all, every one of us, ready to be done with this pandemic. No one enjoys wearing masks or being restricted in our gatherings. All of us want to get back to “normal,” to forget about wearing masks, to go about our days without thinking about aerosols and infection rates. At the same time, I know that each and every one of us would be devastated if we learned that our actions or inactions were responsible for infecting another child of God with the virus, especially if that person went on to experience serious health problems, or even death, as a result of the infection that we facilitated.

It is time to rededicate ourselves to the words of our Savior Christ, who said, “just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25: 40) In this time of pandemic, the “least of these” are the many among us for whom infection with COVID could lead to serious disease or even death. This might include vaccinated or unvaccinated people with pre-existing medical conditions, people who wind up getting “long COVID,” or even just people over the age of seventy. In Iowa right now, 50% of people aged 70+ who are hospitalized with COVID are also fully vaccinated. (https://coronavirus.iowa.gov/pages/hospital-data)

The best information we have now tells us that the Omicron surge may peak within a week or so. Hospitalizations are expected to peak shortly after that. Then, if the pattern holds in Iowa as it has held in other parts of the world, cases should begin to decline.

It is so important for the next few weeks, until the surge in infections has come to an end, that we redouble our precautions in order to protect those around us. It may help to remember that all of our counties are in Phase One, and, while the Regathering Task Force changed the guidelines for Phase One so that in-person worship can still take place, we are required to keep the following precautions:

  • Indoor worship, ministries and formation activities are permitted as long as 6’ physical distancing between households or close friend groups can be maintained.

  • Masks shall be worn by all in attendance at any indoor gathering. Physical distancing of 6’ shall be maintained. (Readers and preachers may remove masks while reading or preaching.)

  • Singing is permitted for gatherings if 90%+ of those gathered are vaccinated and masks are worn.

  • Beverages & light snacks only among groups that are 90%+ vaccinated, served by masked and gloved servers.

  • Church staff should wear masks when working together indoors if any individuals who are not vaccinated may be present. (Given the transmissibility of the Omicron variant, it is best to wear masks even if all present are vaccinated.)

  • Outreach ministries are limited to those which can be done with proper safety protocols and 6’ physical distancing.

  • In-person pastoral visits may be conducted by those who are vaccinated. (Masks are also required due to the transmissibility of the Omicron variant.)

Note that these are minimum guidelines. Given what we have learned more recently, the Regathering Task Force is recommending that masks be N-95, KN95, or KF94 instead of cloth. We encourage testing before gatherings as a way to discover COVID infections that may be asymptomatic or disguised as a cold. We encourage churches to consider purchasing portable HEPA air filters for use in any space where people gather, and we encourage anyone who is able to worship online from home for the next several weeks to do so. Those who worship online from home are making space for those who cannot do so to gather more safely in person.

I invite you to reframe this time of increased restrictions as an opportunity for evangelism. The message that we can send during these times is that Iowans can worship safely in the Episcopal Church, whether online or in person. The Episcopal Church in Iowa is serious about loving our neighbors, and we are taking concrete actions to make our worship as safe as possible during this time of pandemic.

Finally, as your bishop I want to make it clear that it is my expectation that no congregation shares the common cup at Eucharist in this diocese at this time. A small amount of wine may be consecrated in the chalice and then consumed, on behalf of all the people, by the priest or by one single other representative of the gathered congregation.

One of the things I love about the Episcopal Church in Iowa is the deep understanding of the ministry of every baptized person. In that spirit, let us each remember our own baptismal call to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as ourself. As we would hope that our neighbors would do their best to prevent us from becoming ill, let us respond to this current spike in COVID infections by intensifying our efforts to protect our neighbors.

Blessings in this difficult time,

+Betsey
The Rt. Rev. Betsey Monnot, Bishop of Iowa

Some helpful resources:

 
Traci Petty