Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidelines and Up-Dates
June 25, 2020
Grace and peace,
The paperwork for Phase II has been submitted to the Diocese, reviewed, and approved.
Now is the time to prepare you for limited in-person worship.
There will be signs on the pergola as you approach the doors reminding you of the requirement to wear a mask or face covering. Wearing a mask or face covering is required by both the Diocese of the Rio Grande and the New Mexico Department of Health order, with hand sanitizer and sanitized wipes available in the narthex, along with masks if you need one.
As you enter the worship space you will notice several pews have been roped-off, creating safe distance seating. Open pews are staggered on either side of the center aisle.
Depending on number of individuals in a household and available safe distance seating in a single pew may vary. As the church walks into limited in-person worship the seating capacity is set at 25-30 individuals.
During this time, there will be three services offered each week – Wednesday morning, Sunday morning 8 am, and Sunday morning 10 am. The average Sunday attendance during last summer was 50. Under COVID-19 limited worship the Sunday 10 AM service needs to be reduced. Please consider attending Wednesday morning or early service on Sunday morning.
Some may believe many of these precautions in affect are excessive. Three things to consider. First, many St. Andrew’s members and communicants are high risk population, and many in this population want to return to public worship as much as those who are not in a high risk or vulnerable population. Second, attending worship is a different organism than going into the grocery store or box store. Third, it seems more prudent to begin public worship cautiously, and adjust as we walk the path, rather than rushing in and initiate restrictions in our walk.
"Vulnerable and high-risk populations should plan to stay at home. This includes those who are 64 and older, people with asthma, chronic lung conditions, immune deficiency and those receiving cancer treatment, serious heart disease, diabetes, on dialysis, severe obesity, chronic liver disease, people living in nursing facilities and other congregate settings."
Those showing symptoms that may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus must stay home:
Fever or chills, Cough, Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, Fatigue, Muscle or body aches,
Headache, New loss of taste or smell, Sore throat, Congestion or runny nose, Nausea or vomiting, Diarrhea.
In anticipation of your question when will St. Andrew’s return to public worship?
A provisional service was held the morning of Wednesday, June 24t with Spiritual Anointing and Communion. Sunday, June 28th will begin limited in-person worship at 8 AM and 10 AM.
The Wi-Fi system is scheduled to be updated to provide for livestreaming of services. In the meantime, the 8 AM service will be recorded and uploaded for viewing prior to the 10 AM service.
WORSHIP DURING COVID-19 LIMITED IN-PERSON WORSHIP AT ST. ANDREW’S
Grace to you and peace
Welcome: As we gather in these times, it is required we all observe both DRG and NM Health Department Order requirements of safe practices for public worship.
Wearing a mask or appropriate face covering is a DRG and NM Health Department requirement.
AS YOU ENTER:
+++++Let us go Forth in the Name of Christ+++++
Thanks be to God
June 7, 2020
Worship under COVID-19
Phase I of the three phase plan has been completed and submitted to the DRG.
At present St. Andrew’s is working through Phase II.
Preparing the worship space (Nave) as outlined in Phase II is nearly completed for limited public worship. HVAC filtering advice and Fire Marshall inspection for seating capacity need to be verified and documented.
Documenting each phase and recommendation is also in process, and should be ready for Vestry and DRG review as soon as it is completed.
When limited public worship is accessible, St. Andrew’s will offer three services a week to begin with. One on Wednesday and two on Sunday. If you have never attended the Wednesday morning service of Anointing and Communion you may consider attending to encourage safer distribution of safe distancing in limited public worship.
Worship will look and feel different:
In accordance with Phase II, along with State recommendations, it is clearly recommended to wear a mask or appropriate face covering. Masks and hand sanitizer will be available in the Narthex for those who forgot their mask or face covering.
I you are in a vulnerable risk category: (DRG Phase II workbook)
"Vulnerable populations should not attend. This includes those who are 64 and older, people with asthma, chronic lung conditions, immune deficiency and those receiving cancer treatment, serious heart disease, diabetes, on dialysis, severe obesity, chronic liver disease, people living in nursing facilities and other congregate settings."
Some may feel these measures are excessive, however, walking is safer than running into limited public worship. Decreasing restrictions in the future seems more prudent once limited service begins rather than increasing restrictions following limited public worship.
According to lawyers from the Church Insurance Corporation, liability lawyers are prepared to pursue liability suits against churches and organizations that have resumed public services and/or worship.
Therefore, it is appropriate to consider risk management exposing negligence liability. The Church Insurance liability lawyers are pleased with the DRG’s Phase I & II process.
Risk management is for the health and protection of us all. An active display of God’s love.
May 23, 2020
On March 6, the Bishop requested the suspend of in-person services in the Diocese of the Rio Grande (DRG) for the health and safety of its congregants. On March 13 public school were order to closed in New Mexico, and our daily life and health practice began to change. People began making and giving away facial masks and limiting themselves to going out for essential items only.
Two weeks ago, a few non-denominational church’s in Roswell resumed public worship, and just this past week, the governor permitted places of worship could resume with limited public worship this coming Sunday, May 24. The authority to suspend or resume public worship in the Episcopal Church rest with the Bishop. Here at St. Andrew’s, we will continue to follow the policies and procedures of our Bishop in-regards to best worship practices, for the love and safety of our sisters and brothers in Christ who come to St. Andrew's to worship and pray.
The Bishop has launched a Three Phase policy working toward parishes in the DRG to open under limited public worship guidelines. As St. Andrew’s methodically works through each phase, please keep in mind outside determining factors beyond our control.
Phase I: Primarily Phase I, is a review of policies and procedures during non-public worship practices.
Phase II: This phase establishes protocols moving toward “limited” public worship.
After submission of Phase II, and permission of the Bishop a parish may be allowed to open under diocesan guidelines as set forth in the Phase II.
Phase III is essentially a return to public worship. Moving to Phase III biggest factor will be based upon availability of a vaccine.
At present, every parish in the diocese is in Phase I. The vestry has received the work booklet for Phase I and will begin the process of preparing the document for the diocese.
As St. Andrew’s awaits the response of Phase I, we will begin preparing the space for Phase II.
There are a few essentials to keep in mind as we move forward. The number of people that are legalized to gather does not mean that that number is safe. It simply establishes a traceable number of people in case of an outbreak from a certain location, and manageable for health care providers.
Also, keep in mind as the next few weeks roll by, the great majority of our congregation is in the “high risk” category -
As we walk this path through the phases the Bishop has outlined. let us recall the importance of being the church first. By being the church, we are mindful of the most vulnerable of our congregation and Christ's great commandment to love our neighbor. The past few weeks we have been adjusting to safe practices and suffering wisely, calmly, and generously. Richard Rohr refers to such suffering as a "virtue of hope."
Faithfully,
Dale+
May 18, 2020
If there was ever an in-convenient time to have computer issues this is the time. After spending much time last week and this past weekend on trying to resolves some various issues, I believe I am back on track.
The Vestry has now received the Phase I worksheet of three Phases in moving toward some form of limited public worship. After completing Phase I and following any recommendations from the Diocese, we will be able to move forward into Phase II. Phase I is primarily an evaluation of our Phase I response, and how we can implement Phase I into continued use and practice.
As we continue our walk with Christ and progression through each phase, please be mindful that the church is a much different organism than going into the grocery store or box store, and as local businesses begin to open under limited guidelines. In church we spend time together in a closed space, and we touch a lot of things, and there is an inward trust that all will be well. However, virus does not differentiate the people it infects or the places it preys upon.
It may be helpful that the numbers local, state, or federal governments say may gather, is not because that number means it is safe, but rather a number considered manageable to respond to infections by health officials, and a number traceable of people that may have been infected
As we walk this path through the phases the Bishop has outlined. let us recall the importance of being the church first. By being the church we must keep in mind the most vulnerable of our congregation and Christ's great commandment to love our neighbor. The past few weeks we have been adjusting to safe practices and suffering wisely, calmly, and generously. Richard Rohr refers to such suffering as a "virtue of hope" as a learned capacity.
The church will continue the course we are presently on as we systematically move forward being motivated by our love for one another.
March 25, 2020
The following prayer is out of the 1928 BCP (page, 45) for use in Time of Great Sickness and Mortality. As I understand, this prayer was incorporated into the 1928 prayer book as a result of the Spanish Flu of 1918.
MOST mighty and merciful God, in this time of grievous sickness, we flee unto thee for succour. Deliver us, we beseech thee, from our peril; give strength and skill to all those who minister to the sick; prosper the means made use of for their cure; and grant that, perceiving how frail and uncertain our life is, we may apply our hearts unto that heavenly wisdom which leadeth to eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
March 13, 2020
Most recent guidelines from the Diocese of the Rio Grande - All services with more than two (2) or three (3) people are suspended. These guidelines are expected to be reviewed in three (3) weeks.
Therefore, there will be no services on Sundays or Wednesdays until these guidelines are lifted. Sorry for the inconveniences.
The office will remain open during the week and we will explore ways to broadcast live service via Facebook and links to the website. This Sunday you may link into the service at St. John's Cathedral in Albuquerque through their Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/stjohnsabq
You may worship at home using Morning Prayer in the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) beginning with sentences for Lent on page 38 BCP for Rite I, or for Rite II beginning on page 76 of the BCP. The scripture readings for this Sunday are found below on this page of the website.
May the Gace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you this day and always.
Grace and peace,
The paperwork for Phase II has been submitted to the Diocese, reviewed, and approved.
Now is the time to prepare you for limited in-person worship.
There will be signs on the pergola as you approach the doors reminding you of the requirement to wear a mask or face covering. Wearing a mask or face covering is required by both the Diocese of the Rio Grande and the New Mexico Department of Health order, with hand sanitizer and sanitized wipes available in the narthex, along with masks if you need one.
As you enter the worship space you will notice several pews have been roped-off, creating safe distance seating. Open pews are staggered on either side of the center aisle.
Depending on number of individuals in a household and available safe distance seating in a single pew may vary. As the church walks into limited in-person worship the seating capacity is set at 25-30 individuals.
During this time, there will be three services offered each week – Wednesday morning, Sunday morning 8 am, and Sunday morning 10 am. The average Sunday attendance during last summer was 50. Under COVID-19 limited worship the Sunday 10 AM service needs to be reduced. Please consider attending Wednesday morning or early service on Sunday morning.
Some may believe many of these precautions in affect are excessive. Three things to consider. First, many St. Andrew’s members and communicants are high risk population, and many in this population want to return to public worship as much as those who are not in a high risk or vulnerable population. Second, attending worship is a different organism than going into the grocery store or box store. Third, it seems more prudent to begin public worship cautiously, and adjust as we walk the path, rather than rushing in and initiate restrictions in our walk.
"Vulnerable and high-risk populations should plan to stay at home. This includes those who are 64 and older, people with asthma, chronic lung conditions, immune deficiency and those receiving cancer treatment, serious heart disease, diabetes, on dialysis, severe obesity, chronic liver disease, people living in nursing facilities and other congregate settings."
Those showing symptoms that may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus must stay home:
Fever or chills, Cough, Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, Fatigue, Muscle or body aches,
Headache, New loss of taste or smell, Sore throat, Congestion or runny nose, Nausea or vomiting, Diarrhea.
In anticipation of your question when will St. Andrew’s return to public worship?
A provisional service was held the morning of Wednesday, June 24t with Spiritual Anointing and Communion. Sunday, June 28th will begin limited in-person worship at 8 AM and 10 AM.
The Wi-Fi system is scheduled to be updated to provide for livestreaming of services. In the meantime, the 8 AM service will be recorded and uploaded for viewing prior to the 10 AM service.
WORSHIP DURING COVID-19 LIMITED IN-PERSON WORSHIP AT ST. ANDREW’S
Grace to you and peace
Welcome: As we gather in these times, it is required we all observe both DRG and NM Health Department Order requirements of safe practices for public worship.
Wearing a mask or appropriate face covering is a DRG and NM Health Department requirement.
AS YOU ENTER:
- Hand sanitizer and masks are available in the narthex if you forgot your mask or face covering.
- Bulletins are available in the Narthex. Please take home your bulletin or dispose of it in the designated baskets as you leave.
- Safe distancing – 6 feet.
- Most pews can accommodate 2 households of 2 or a single and a household of 3. When seated maintain 6 feet between households (individuals)
- A household of 4, 5, or 6 occupies one pew. There is a section reserved for our largest household.
- The Peace. Please, do not hug, shake hands, or share a kiss during “The Peace” with others not from the same household. A bow, peace sign, or wave is an appropriate acknowledgement of sharing “The Peace”
- Receiving Communion. To limit movement, Communion will be distributed to the pews by the priest and/or assistant in one-kind (wafer).
- No congregational singing (music will be phased in).
- Exit worship space from the back pews forward.
- Take bulletin home or dispose of in designated baskets
- Conversations should take place in the driveway, pergola, or parking lot.
+++++Let us go Forth in the Name of Christ+++++
Thanks be to God
June 7, 2020
Worship under COVID-19
Phase I of the three phase plan has been completed and submitted to the DRG.
At present St. Andrew’s is working through Phase II.
Preparing the worship space (Nave) as outlined in Phase II is nearly completed for limited public worship. HVAC filtering advice and Fire Marshall inspection for seating capacity need to be verified and documented.
Documenting each phase and recommendation is also in process, and should be ready for Vestry and DRG review as soon as it is completed.
When limited public worship is accessible, St. Andrew’s will offer three services a week to begin with. One on Wednesday and two on Sunday. If you have never attended the Wednesday morning service of Anointing and Communion you may consider attending to encourage safer distribution of safe distancing in limited public worship.
Worship will look and feel different:
- Pews have been roped off to provide social distancing.
- Prayer Books and hymnals have been removed to lessen time cleaning and sanitizing between services.
- Pew cushion have been removed. You may bring a cushion from home.
- Duration of time together is a concern. The goal will be to keep the service close to 30 minutes.
- Instrumental music only – no singing. Likely music will consist of a pre-lude, offertory, and postlude.
- Clergy and altar party will enter from the sacristy and bell tower (no processions)
- One reading is required for a Eucharist – the Gospel.
- Prayers that are optional will be omitted.
- The Eucharistic Prayer will likely be said from an end of the altar rather than altar center. This position was common following the separation of the English Church from Rome in the 16th century.
- Altar party will consist of no more than three or four (priest, postulant or deacon, and intercessor, instrumentalist.
- Communion will be received in one kind (wafer) from the center aisle. Please adhere to social distancing.
- Greeting and conversations should take place outdoors in the drive or under the pergola allowing for social distancing.
In accordance with Phase II, along with State recommendations, it is clearly recommended to wear a mask or appropriate face covering. Masks and hand sanitizer will be available in the Narthex for those who forgot their mask or face covering.
I you are in a vulnerable risk category: (DRG Phase II workbook)
"Vulnerable populations should not attend. This includes those who are 64 and older, people with asthma, chronic lung conditions, immune deficiency and those receiving cancer treatment, serious heart disease, diabetes, on dialysis, severe obesity, chronic liver disease, people living in nursing facilities and other congregate settings."
Some may feel these measures are excessive, however, walking is safer than running into limited public worship. Decreasing restrictions in the future seems more prudent once limited service begins rather than increasing restrictions following limited public worship.
According to lawyers from the Church Insurance Corporation, liability lawyers are prepared to pursue liability suits against churches and organizations that have resumed public services and/or worship.
Therefore, it is appropriate to consider risk management exposing negligence liability. The Church Insurance liability lawyers are pleased with the DRG’s Phase I & II process.
Risk management is for the health and protection of us all. An active display of God’s love.
May 23, 2020
On March 6, the Bishop requested the suspend of in-person services in the Diocese of the Rio Grande (DRG) for the health and safety of its congregants. On March 13 public school were order to closed in New Mexico, and our daily life and health practice began to change. People began making and giving away facial masks and limiting themselves to going out for essential items only.
Two weeks ago, a few non-denominational church’s in Roswell resumed public worship, and just this past week, the governor permitted places of worship could resume with limited public worship this coming Sunday, May 24. The authority to suspend or resume public worship in the Episcopal Church rest with the Bishop. Here at St. Andrew’s, we will continue to follow the policies and procedures of our Bishop in-regards to best worship practices, for the love and safety of our sisters and brothers in Christ who come to St. Andrew's to worship and pray.
The Bishop has launched a Three Phase policy working toward parishes in the DRG to open under limited public worship guidelines. As St. Andrew’s methodically works through each phase, please keep in mind outside determining factors beyond our control.
- Each region, community, and parish is characteristically different. The number of confirmed cases differs across the State. So, one region or parish may be able to resume limited public worship accordingly, while another parish may have completed the necessary guidelines, but due to an increase of confirmed cases, may be instructed to continue virtually.
Phase I: Primarily Phase I, is a review of policies and procedures during non-public worship practices.
Phase II: This phase establishes protocols moving toward “limited” public worship.
- Cleaning and sanitizing space.
- heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
- Creating seating sections and distance practices.
- Removing items from the pews that can not be cleaned between service in a reasonable time – pew cushions, prayer books, and hymnals.
- Establishing best practices of worship in limited public life – spacing, cleaning between services, use of protective face wear.
- Limiting service time. Several pre-Covid-19 worship practices may be eliminated to shorten the service, and provide additional services. For example, for a Eucharistic service, the only reading required is the Gospel. Risk of catching the virus increases due to duration of time together. For example, walking into a room of 100 or more people for 5 minutes is less risky than being in a room of 20 for 1 hour.
- Congregational and choir singing remains suspended. The reasoning is when we sing, and especially those with strong voices droplets travel further and linger longer in the area.
- Availability of hand sanitizer
After submission of Phase II, and permission of the Bishop a parish may be allowed to open under diocesan guidelines as set forth in the Phase II.
Phase III is essentially a return to public worship. Moving to Phase III biggest factor will be based upon availability of a vaccine.
At present, every parish in the diocese is in Phase I. The vestry has received the work booklet for Phase I and will begin the process of preparing the document for the diocese.
As St. Andrew’s awaits the response of Phase I, we will begin preparing the space for Phase II.
There are a few essentials to keep in mind as we move forward. The number of people that are legalized to gather does not mean that that number is safe. It simply establishes a traceable number of people in case of an outbreak from a certain location, and manageable for health care providers.
Also, keep in mind as the next few weeks roll by, the great majority of our congregation is in the “high risk” category -
As we walk this path through the phases the Bishop has outlined. let us recall the importance of being the church first. By being the church, we are mindful of the most vulnerable of our congregation and Christ's great commandment to love our neighbor. The past few weeks we have been adjusting to safe practices and suffering wisely, calmly, and generously. Richard Rohr refers to such suffering as a "virtue of hope."
Faithfully,
Dale+
May 18, 2020
If there was ever an in-convenient time to have computer issues this is the time. After spending much time last week and this past weekend on trying to resolves some various issues, I believe I am back on track.
The Vestry has now received the Phase I worksheet of three Phases in moving toward some form of limited public worship. After completing Phase I and following any recommendations from the Diocese, we will be able to move forward into Phase II. Phase I is primarily an evaluation of our Phase I response, and how we can implement Phase I into continued use and practice.
As we continue our walk with Christ and progression through each phase, please be mindful that the church is a much different organism than going into the grocery store or box store, and as local businesses begin to open under limited guidelines. In church we spend time together in a closed space, and we touch a lot of things, and there is an inward trust that all will be well. However, virus does not differentiate the people it infects or the places it preys upon.
It may be helpful that the numbers local, state, or federal governments say may gather, is not because that number means it is safe, but rather a number considered manageable to respond to infections by health officials, and a number traceable of people that may have been infected
As we walk this path through the phases the Bishop has outlined. let us recall the importance of being the church first. By being the church we must keep in mind the most vulnerable of our congregation and Christ's great commandment to love our neighbor. The past few weeks we have been adjusting to safe practices and suffering wisely, calmly, and generously. Richard Rohr refers to such suffering as a "virtue of hope" as a learned capacity.
The church will continue the course we are presently on as we systematically move forward being motivated by our love for one another.
March 25, 2020
The following prayer is out of the 1928 BCP (page, 45) for use in Time of Great Sickness and Mortality. As I understand, this prayer was incorporated into the 1928 prayer book as a result of the Spanish Flu of 1918.
MOST mighty and merciful God, in this time of grievous sickness, we flee unto thee for succour. Deliver us, we beseech thee, from our peril; give strength and skill to all those who minister to the sick; prosper the means made use of for their cure; and grant that, perceiving how frail and uncertain our life is, we may apply our hearts unto that heavenly wisdom which leadeth to eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
March 13, 2020
Most recent guidelines from the Diocese of the Rio Grande - All services with more than two (2) or three (3) people are suspended. These guidelines are expected to be reviewed in three (3) weeks.
Therefore, there will be no services on Sundays or Wednesdays until these guidelines are lifted. Sorry for the inconveniences.
The office will remain open during the week and we will explore ways to broadcast live service via Facebook and links to the website. This Sunday you may link into the service at St. John's Cathedral in Albuquerque through their Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/stjohnsabq
You may worship at home using Morning Prayer in the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) beginning with sentences for Lent on page 38 BCP for Rite I, or for Rite II beginning on page 76 of the BCP. The scripture readings for this Sunday are found below on this page of the website.
May the Gace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you this day and always.