Maureen Richards reflects on how challenging it was when schools and churches were closed for lockdown. Maureen’s family has in the past run a church from their own home, where they enjoyed seeing their community come together to share love for their faith and each other. In line with the COVID-19 restrictions, Maureen and her family continue their praise and worship, but just as a family. This is what gives them hope during these tough times.
FACTS & DEFINITIONS:
For many faith traditions, gathering together for worship is at the heart of what it means to be a community of faith. But gatherings present a risk for increasing the spread of COVID-19 during this public health emergency. Here are suggestions for faith communities to consider and accept, reject, or modify, in line with their own faith traditions. In the course of preparing to reconvene for in-person gatherings while still working to prevent the spread of COVID-19, CDC offers suggestions to minimize risk:
- Consider temporarily limiting the sharing of frequently touched objects, such as worship aids, prayer rugs, prayer books, hymnals, religious texts and other bulletins, books, or other items passed or shared among congregants, and encouraging congregants to bring their own such items, if possible, or photocopying or projecting prayers, songs, and texts using electronic means.
- Consider a stationary money collection box, or electronic methods of collecting financial contributions instead of shared collection trays or baskets.
- Practice physical distancing (discourage hugging, shaking hands, and kissing between congregants).
- If food is offered at any event, consider pre-packaged options, and avoid buffet or family-style meals where possible.