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It’s hard on the huggers. Months separated from your church family, finally back in your church home, and you can’t hug anyone. It seems so unnatural—even in a world of taped-off seats, masks, and restricted numbers. Most people, we heard, knew the rules and followed them. But some couldn’t resist wandering, to chat and greet and, yes, touch their friends. One correspondent wondered if it was because they didn’t have lines marked for maintaining social distancing, or whether not having a reception line encouraged this—there was no particular imperative to leave. Sidespeople, uncertain of their new duties, didn’t know whether to intervene. 

We weren’t inundated with comments in response to our questions last week, but those (from two parishes) struck home. The connection to our sisters and brothers in Christ is the essence of church. We need to remember that it comes from the heart and has not been vanquished by COVID, even if it has (for now) had limitations placed on it. 

There is one important safety issue we need to mention this week. When parishioners are receiving communion, make sure they do not remove their masks until they have received the bread, and the celebrant is at least two metres away from them. Paragraphs 62 and 64 of In this Together have been updated to include this point. This is a shift from what people are used to, but important for the safety of clergy, so it should be strongly emphasized. We recommend clergy mention it to parishioners before communion and perhaps print it in the bulletin. 

According to the notes we got in response to our questions last week, some parishioners forgot to sanitize their hands a second time after the service, so that might be another reminder people need. That’s all from us 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