Slideshow image

Hello and welcome to COVID Communiqué 18. You’ll note we’ve switched delivery day to Wednesday, which we hope will reduce the production problems that have made us run late recently. It’s four months exactly since we sent out the first communiqué and almost six months to the day since we had to close the doors of our churches. Finally, prayerfully—is there such a thing as cautious joy?—we’ve started opening up again, thanks be to God. 

If your parish started in-person liturgies again this week, how did it go? Did you run into any unanticipated problems? Did the problems you anticipated play out as expected? What surprised you? Will you be changing anything for your next service? Those aren’t rhetorical questions. We’d really like to know. We’d like to hear from you, just briefly (you don’t have to answer every question and a couple of dozen words should do it). But if something stood out, something you’d like to share with others, either to get their ideas for dealing with it, or to describe something your parish found worked well, or just to share something funny or moving, drop us a line at C19helpdesk@ottawa.anglican.ca.

We’re not quite sure how this will work, but we won’t use names or parishes unless you’re looking to crowd-source an answer, or you specifically give us permission. We might edit answers for space. You all may feel too busy to tell us anything, but remember, there are churches that don’t feel ready to open yet. They’ll likely welcome any insights, big or small. Please send us your answers by 9 am Monday, September 14. We have one new question on the Questions and Answers page this week. Read it here. Otherwise, that’s all we have this week. As always, if you’re looking for information or guidance, please get in touch at C19helpdesk@ottawa.anglican.ca. 

COVID Communiqué is produced by the senior staff of our diocese: 
Shane Parker, Bishop
Beth Bretzlaff, Dean
Linda Hill, Executive Archdeacon
Sanjay Grover, Director of Financial Ministry
Peter John Hobbs, Director of Community Ministries
Jane Scanlon, Director of Stewardship Development
Carol Sinclair, Director of Human Resources