COVID-19
April 23, 2020 - Veteran Financial Support
Are you a veteran who’s been put at risk by COVID-19 and its economic consequences? Be aware that the CARES Act has provisions specifically supporting the Veterans’ Administration’s response to your needs. For more information, visit:https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5415
Questions? Contact Canon Terri Bays, Diocesan Disaster Coordinator and NGO/Government Liaison
Video capable smartphone or tablet. Tripod and holder recommended. (iPhone, Android, iPad, etc)
The newer the version, the better the features/quality, but most are capable.
Good Internet Access and Speed.
Consider upgrading your facility Internet speeds. Contact your provider and explain that you want to be sure to have ample bandwidth to be able to livestream. Also, be sure you have strong WiFi signal where you are streaming. (Sanctuary, Parish Hall, etc). OR Physically move your router into the location you are planning to stream.
External Microphone that works with Smartphone or Tablet.
This is not necessary but will give better sound and flexibility.
A couple options are: (Google search for retailers)
- Rode Wireless Go - Compact Wireless Microphone System, Transmitter and Receiver $200.00
- USB Microphone Snow Ball Kit $80.00
YouTube and/or Facebook page associated with your Faith Community
This would be the place that the live or recorded videos would be posted. Both sites allow for Live Broadcasting and even have some basic editing and production options that could be used.
Laptop with video editing software
Apple MacBook Computer and ECamm program subscription
While this is a larger investment, it would open additional options for creating quality content.
With a MacBook, an ECamm subscription. ($12/month) could be used.
ECamm Live (ecamm.comis a versatile subscription program that allows you to easily produce and broadcast to YouTube and Facebook
PC Laptop running OBS program
OBS is an open-broadcast system that allows many of hte features of ECamm and works on a PC computer. The downside is it does not have the same simple user-interface of the ECamm program, so it will require someone comfortable with understanding and tweaking the settings. It is a very popular and highly used program.
April 22, 2020 - Special Enrollment Period for Marketplace Health Insurance Coverage
Did you know that if you lost your job or have experienced a reduction in hours due to COVID-19, you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period for Marketplace Health Insurance Coverage (commonly known as Obamacare)? Visit https://www.healthcare.gov/coronavirus/ to learn more about this and other situations in which you might qualify.
Questions? Contact Canon Terri Bays, Diocesan Disaster Coordinator and NGO/Government Liaison
April 17, 2020 - No Stimulus Check Yet?
All US citizens who have not been listed as a dependent on somebody else’s taxes are eligible for stimulus checks under the CARES Act. Have you received your stimulus check yet? If not, check this website to make sure the IRS has the right information for you! https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments
Questions? Contact Canon Terri Bays, Diocesan Disaster Coordinator and NGO/Government Liaison
2 April 2020
Dear Sisters, Brothers, Siblings,
Grace and peace be with you in Jesus, our Crucified and Risen Savior!
Know that you are upheld in prayer daily as we continue to adjust to the changes and challenges of living through the COVID 19 Pandemic!
A pattern has been established over the last few weeks which some of you have become a part of…Tuesday morning – Clergy ZOOM Call, Wednesday afternoon – Clergy and Lay Leader ZOOM Call. I am so very grateful for your willingness to lean into these days together. Thank you!
On the Monday afternoon, weekly ZOOM Conference Call with our Presiding Bishop, a significant amount of time was spent of giving us an overview of the CARES Act that became legislation last Friday. Along with our chancellor, Dan Pfeifer and Canon Terri Bays, I participated in a webinar hosted by the Episcopal Church Foundation on Wednesday regarding the CARES ACT. On Thursday afternoon, our treasurers, Joe Walker and Tom Gresik, joined Dan Pfeifer and Canon Terri to design a plan forward for the diocese and our faith communities to prepare and submit an application to your local bank to participate in the Paycheck Protection Program. More information will be sent to our Parochial Clergy, Senior Wardens and Treasurers. It is important that you begin gathering the necessary financial information so each faith community that chooses can possibly benefit from this program. We are planning a ZOOM Webinar for next Tuesday, 7 April.
On Tuesday, our Clergy and I gathered for our Weekly ZOOM Conference Call. After checking in, we shared what was working as well as what needed our attention. A Virtual Worship Planning Group shared their plan for Holy Week and Easter Day Virtual Worship. Again, I want to thank everyone for their gifts and energy and prayerfulness in leading us together in Virtual Worship these coming days. Canon Terri Bays shared some basic information on the CARES Act as it has been rolling out during the first part of the week.
On Wednesday morning, I was part of our Weekly ZOOM Conference Call with the Bishops of Province V to check in with one another as well as share resources and concerns.
On Wednesday afternoon, we had our Weekly ZOOM Conference Call with our Clergy and Lay Leaders. Items on the agenda included an opportunity for folks to check in, to share what’s working as well as what needs our attention. We reviewed the plan for Digital Worship for Holy Week and Easter that can be found on our website. We shared news of the ongoing work of exploring how best to make use of the CARES act. I asked the clergy to remain on the call so that I could share some resources that I had received earlier in the day regarding physical distancing, the presence of Christ in Word, Sacrament and the Assembled Community and Spiritual Communion. The day before, our Presiding Bishop offered “A Word to the Church on Our Theology of Worship.” I received two other reflection papers that were written by Professors of Liturgics at General Theological Seminary and the Church Divinity School of the Pacific that I found helpful in attending to my own discomfort of not being able to gather to celebrate the Holy Eucharist. They can be found here.
Remember, we are called to be People of Hope during these worrisome and anxious days!
I want to conclude with a prayer found on in A PRAYER BOOK FOR THE ARMED SERVICES 2008 in the section entitled WHEN HOLY COMMUNION IS NOT AVAILABLE. I encourage you to pray this prayer…especially when you are feeling a real absence from your faith community, gathered in Word and Sacrament…
In union, O Lord, with your faithful people at every altar of your Church, where the Holy Eucharist is now being celebrated, I desire to offer to you praise and thanksgiving. I remember your death, Lord Christ; I proclaim your resurrection; I await your coming in glory. And since I cannot receive you today in the Sacrament of your Body and Blood, I beseech you to come spiritually into my heart. Cleanse and strengthen me with your grace, Lord Jesus, and let me never be separated from you. May I live in you, and you in me, in this life and in the life to come. Amen.
Doug
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Douglas E. Sparks
VIII Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana
Did you know that the CARES Act expands and enhances the unemployment benefits available under State programs by expanding the availability of benefits to individuals who are not covered by a State program? This includes independent contractors and workers for non-profits and religious institutions. It also includes a short term compensation benefit for workers who have not been laid off but whose employment and wages have been reduced due to COVID-19.
So, for example, if you drive for a ride-sharing service and are seeing your employment reduced because people are staying home, you may well be eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. Likewise, if you are a church organist and/or choir director who gets paid as an independent contractor by the rehearsal/service, then the cancellation of public worship services may be reducing your income at this time. You too may be eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. In order to investigate this benefit and determine how to apply for benefits in a State, check out the website that the U.S. Department of Labor maintains at https://www.careeronestop.org/WorkerReEmployment/UnemploymentBenefits/unemployment-benefits.aspx
Questions? Contact Canon Terri Bays, Diocesan Disaster Coordinator and NGO/Government Liaison
April 1, 2020 - Paycheck Protection Program
Assistance for Small Businesses The CARES Act includes a Paycheck Protection Program which authorizes up to $349 billion toward job retention and certain other expenses. Churches are among the small businesses covered by this program, which allows them to borrow up to 250% of their total payroll. The loan amounts will be forgiven as long as: • The loan proceeds are used to cover payroll costs, and most mortgage interest, rent, and utility costs over the 8 week period after the loan is made; and • Employee and compensation levels are maintained. Loan payments will be deferred for 6 months To see further guidelines, visit: https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/top-priorities/cares-act/assistance-for-small-businesses
Questions? Contact Canon Terri Bays, Diocesan Disaster Coordinator and NGO/Government Liason
Dear Parish Clergy, Parish Administrators, Senior Wardens, Parish Treasurers and Diocesan Staff,
I have been continually giving thanks to God for you, my kindred in Christ, during this time of crisis. Your willingness to adapt to new methods with grace and humor in a time of great anxiety has been inspiring, not only to me but to others all around you.
I’m writing to you today as, variously, your Diocesan Disaster Coordinator (DDC) and your NGO/Government Liaison, which I mention, not because I need more titles, but because you will need that information to apply for some of the programs I will mention below. On Friday afternoon, I attended a webinar hosted by Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) about ways in which:
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which had not yet been signed as we were meeting, can provide your faith community, its employees and the people around you with financial assistance in response to this crisis, and
Your faith community can work with agencies like ERD, FEMA, and VOAD to assist your communities in what will not be hours but rather months of need.
Details on all of this will be unfolding over time, since much of the working out of these aid measures will be done locally. I’ll break down what I know now by the group being assisted.
Help for Members of your faith community, your neighbors and your friends
By now you will have heard about the payments authorized by the CARES Act that will be going out to all citizens making less that $75,000 individually. For many folks this will be automatic, based on either last year’s tax return or this year's (for those who have already managed to file). Others, such as those who do not make enough money to file taxes or who work on a more irregular basis, will have to fill out paperwork and may need your help doing so.
You may already be aware that qualifying faith communities (note that the bar is high for “qualifying” in this instance) may apply to waive two months of pension assessment payments to the Church Pension Group (CPG) for clergy employees only (Lay pensions are handled differently as a result are not eligible). We have just learned that all faith communities are eligible for a 90-day delay in payment of Property and Casualty Insurance through the Church Insurance Agency Corporation (CIAC) of CPG. For more information about CPG’s response, please visit the CPG website at https://www.cpg.org/redirects/health-alert/.
In addition to those payments, the CARES Act has extended both the time of unemployment insurance and the eligibility pool to include many people (such as those working part-time and those doing “gig” work) who do not usually qualify for unemployment benefits. Please direct folks to Career One Stop (https://www.careeronestop.org ) for employment and unemployment resources.
Getting families connected to the Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP) and D-SNAP (available after a disaster) run by the US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA https://www.fns.usda.gov/disaster/pandemic/covid-19) is a great way to support those experiencing food insecurity.
Finally, the Department of Labor offers Dislocated Worker Grants (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/dislocated-workers) which can be used by states and other eligible applicants to employ furloughed workers who do humanitarian work during disasters.
Help for your Faith Community
Another feature of the CARES Act is its qualification of churches among the small businesses (those having < 500 employees) eligible for various forms of Small Business Assocition (SBA) assistance —https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources. That assistance includes Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) which can help you continue to make payroll while contributions are artificially low. Some of those loans can be forgiven if you manage to keep your employees on payroll for the duration of the crisis. If you do have to let employees go during this crisis (which we pray you do not have to do), you can get a credit on the quarterly payroll taxes you have already paid for them.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides Public Assistance Funding https://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit) under Category B Emergency Protective measures which allow non-profit organizations (including churches) to work with government to perform a task, i.e. feeding emergency responders. This cannot be something that a church does on its own, but in coordination with local government officials.
The CARES Act also includes two incentives to increased charitable giving at this time. First, it creates a new above-the-line deduction (universal or non-itemized deduction that applies to all taxpayers) for total charitable contributions of up to $300. Second, it increases the limit on individual taxpayers' deductions for cash contributions to public charities from 60% of the individual's Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) to 100% of the individual's AGI.
Help Your Faith Community can offer your local community
FEMA assigns Voluntary Agency Liaisons (VALs) to each region to help communities navigate the complicated systems related to disaster response and recovery. We are conveniently listed as part of Region 5 (https://www.fema.gov/region-v-il-in-mi-mn-oh-wi#), which covers nearly the same territory as Province 5 of the Episcopal Church (+ Minnesota but -Missouri).
Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD—https://www.nvoad.org/) is a great resource for learning more about organizations that are working in your area to respond.
Again, in some instances your faith community will be asked to work through your Diocesan Disaster Coordinator (DDC) as you connect with your state or local emergency management systems. That, again, is me, so please keep me up to date on what you have in mind so that I can direct you to available resources.
May God continue to bless you with strength, courage and creativity in response to this crisis.
In Christ,
Terri
26 March 2020
Dear Sisters, Brothers, Siblings,
Grace and peace be with you in Jesus, our Crucified and Risen Savior!
As I wrote last week, as People of God, it is our moral, civic, and spiritual obligation to care for one another by taking the necessary steps to slow the spread of this virus while continuing to serve our communities with generosity and hope. The Missioners and I had our Monthly Meeting via ZOOM on Monday. They have been working remotely, with the exception of our Missioners for Finance. We continue to seek ways to support and resource those entrusted to our care, EACH OF YOU, who are part of the faith communities of the Episcopal Church in Northern Indiana.
Monday afternoon, I participated in the weekly ZOOM Conference Call with our Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, along with staff persons from Episcopal Relief and Development and the Church Pension Group. This 30-minute call provided all of us with information that I have been able to share with our clergy and lay leaders.
On Tuesday, the Clergy of our diocese and I initiated our Weekly ZOOM Conference Call. After checking in, we shared what was working as well as what needed our attention. Based on the news release from our Presiding Bishop last week and the recent actions taken by the Governor of Indiana, we discussed suspending in Person Public Worship until further notice. We then engaged in conversation about to provide VIRTUAL WORSHIP for Holy Week and Easter Day. A Planning Group was convened to begin engaging in this important work on behalf of all of us. More on that later. We shared some of our learnings and challenges in communication as well as concerns regarding ongoing financial support for our faith communities. I encouraged us to reflect on the question “how are each of us attending to self-care?” It is important during these stressful times to be gentle with one another, attend to regular patterns as best you can and maintain a rhythm of prayer and reflection. Lastly, I want to thank Canon Michelle Walker who has agreed to serve as our point person with questions regarding asking for a two-month waiver in paying Clergy Pension assessments. And, I’m grateful to Canon Terri Bays who has agreed to be serve as our point person with issues on concerns that may be directed to Episcopal Relief and Development e.g. FEMA assistance with food pantries or feeding programs in our diocese.
On Wednesday morning, I was part of our Weekly ZOOM Conference Call with the Bishops of Province V to check in with one another as well as share resources and concerns.
On Wednesday afternoon, we had our Weekly ZOOM Conference Call with our Clergy and Lay Leaders. Items on the agenda included an opportunity for folks to check in, to share what’s working as well as what needs our attention. There were 36 participants on the call.
We engaged in a conversation which led to a consensus that in Person Public Worship should be suspended until further notice, especially given the actions taken by our Governor this week.
We then reviewed a plan for Digital Worship for Holy Week and Easter that can be found here.
The next item on our agenda was to get an update on the financial realities that we are or may soon be facing. As I said last week in my pastoral update, I encouraged every faith community to make it their first priority to pay their clergy and lay staff, secondly, their utilities bills and insurance and thirdly, their diocesan assessment. We will continue to review our financial realities on a weekly basis.
At the end of our call, I invited our clergy and lay leaders to be attentive to self-care which includes our physical, emotional and spiritual lives. Our next Weekly ZOOM Conference Call with Clergy and Lay Leaders is scheduled for next Wednesday, 1 April at 2 p.m. EDT / 1 p.m. CDT.
Remember, we are called to be People of Hope during these worrisome and anxious days!
I want to conclude with a Collect from Week 4 of Signs of Life: Why Church Matters focused on SHELTER. Let us pray…Beloved God, who, in your mercy, shelters us with your tender embrace; grant that we may know you as our one true refuge from the world of suffering, and help us to offer compassionate sanctuary to our neighbors in need; even as you dwell within and among us, one holy and undivided Trinity, forever and ever. Amen.
Doug
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Douglas E. Sparks
VIII Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana
Episcopalians are invited to join with Christians around the world as together we join in praying the Lord’s Prayer on Wednesday, March 25 at noon in our own time zones in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will be praying the Lord’s Prayer (via Livestream and Facebook Live) Wednesday, March 25, at noon Eastern Time. He invites you to join with Christians around the world to offer this prayer in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
To join Bishop Curry live, Wednesday, March 25, at noon Eastern Time, click here:
Livestream (click “Get notified” to receive a notification/reminder)
The Episcopal Church Facebook page
The Presiding Bishop’s Facebook page
Pope Francis Invites Christians to Pray on March 25th
Pope Francis on Sunday invited all Christians to respond to the coronavirus pandemic “with the universality of prayer, of compassion, of tenderness”, adding, “Let us remain united. Let us make our closeness felt toward those persons who are the most lonely and tried”. Speaking after the traditional recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father called on all Christians to join together in prayer. “In these trying days, while humanity trembles due to the thread of the pandemic, I would like to propose to all Christians that together we lift our voices towards Heaven,” he said.
On Wednesday, 25 March, the feast of the Annunciation, Pope Francis has invited “the Heads of the Churches and the leaders of every Christian community, together with all Christians of the various confessions, to invoke the Almighty, the omnipotent God, to recite at the same time the prayer that Jesus, our Lord, taught us” – the Our Father. Pope Francis prayed, “may the Lord listen to the united prayer of all of His disciples who are preparing themselves to celebrate the victory of the Risen Christ”.
We are inviting you to issue a call through your networks and social media for Christians to join in praying the Lord's Prayer, and in any other ways we are led to pray, at:
Wednesday, March 25 at 12:00 noon in our own time zones.
Links to invitations:
All Christians Invited to Pray on Wednesday, March 25th
Archbishop of Canterbury backs worldwide call for Christians to say the Lord’s Prayer
19 March 2020
Dear Sisters, Brothers, Siblings,
Grace and peace be with you in Jesus, our Crucified and Risen Savior!
I want to assure you of my prayer and support as we continue working together to address the ongoing challenges and concerns due to the COVID 19 Pandemic. As I wrote last week, as People of God, it is our moral, civic, and spiritual obligation to care for one another by taking the necessary steps to slow the spread of this virus while continuing to serve our communities with generosity and hope. To that end, the Missioners and I have been in many conversations on a daily basis, as we seek to support and resource those entrusted to our care, EACH OF YOU, who are part of the faith communities of the Episcopal Church in Northern Indiana.
On Wednesday, 18 March, we began a Weekly ZOOM Conference Call with our Clergy and Lay Leaders. Items on the agenda included an opportunity for folks to check in, to share what’s working as well as what needs our attention. There were 44 participants on this initial call.
facebook.com/EDNINVirtualWorship
A significant amount of our time was spent discussing Online or Virtual Worship. Canon Michelle and Canon Christopher prepared an Online Worship Survey that we reviewed. With the help of our deans, Mother Mindy Hancock, Father Matthew Cowden and Father David Pearson and Canon Michelle and Canon Christopher, we are moving forward with four opportunities for ONLINE Daily Prayer: Morning Prayer, Noon Day Prayer, Evening Prayer and Compline, led by various clergy and lay persons throughout our diocese. You can join Online Daily Prayer by visiting our new Facebook page at EDNIN Virtual Worship.
We also discussed various Social Media Platforms and encouraged our Clergy and Lay Leaders to use them and to consider signing up for free conference call or to purchase an account on ZOOM.
The next item on our agenda was to discuss the financial realities that we are or may soon be facing. Some participants shared that they had already sent out an email communication encouraging people to continue paying their pledge and offered various ways to do so. Those options can be found on here. (Givelify and Tithe.ly) Others shared concerns about prioritizing what to pay and asked if the Diocese had any resources to support those faith communities who may be facing financial challenges. I said that I would have a conversation with the Finance Committee and the Directors of the Diocesan Foundation. I encouraged every faith community to make it their first priority to pay their clergy and lay staff, secondly, their utilities bills and insurance and thirdly, their diocesan assessment. We will revisit the financial issues on a regular basis.
Our call concluded with an invitation to please share what was discussed with others who are part of the leadership of your faith community. Our next Weekly ZOOM Conference Call with Clergy and Lay Leaders is scheduled for next Wednesday, 25 March at 2 p.m. EDT / 1 p.m. CDT.
Earlier on Wednesday, I was part of a ZOOM Conference Call with the Bishops of Province V to check in with one another as well as share resources and concerns. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry joined us on the call. He assured us of his support and prayer and thanked us for our leadership as bishops. We also had a brief discussion about his news release, sent out on Tuesday, concerning “the need to suspend in-person gatherings for public worship, in most contexts, during the sacred time of Holy Week and Easter Day.” The Presiding Bishop’s statement indicates that our consensus last week to suspend in person public worship until the end of March will need to be reconsidered and most likely means “until further notice.”
It is important to underscore here that our faith communities in Northern Indiana haven’t closed. We are being called to reimagine new ways to be the church, in worship, in education and formation, in pastoral care and in outreach. I encourage you to have conversations with one another, identifying and affirming creative ways, given our present circumstances, to live into the Five Marks of Mission: Tell, Teach, Tend, Transform and Treasure!
I have invited the Clergy of our diocese into a conversation via ZOOM next Tuesday, 24 March, to discuss the need to suspend in person public worship during Holy Week and Easter Day and how we might creatively and imaginatively engage in online worship throughout our diocese. I also hope to encourage conversation about how our clergy are continuing their good work of pastoral care during these challenging times.
Remember, we are called to be People of Hope during these worrisome and anxious days!
Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to God from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen!” Ephesians 3:20,21
Doug
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Douglas E. Sparks
VIII Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana
13 March 2020
Dear Sisters, Brothers, Siblings,
Grace and peace be with you in Jesus, our Crucified and Risen Savior!
As I am sure you are aware, the guidance from public health authorities about how to slow the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, is changing by the hour. There are many unknowns about this public health crisis, but this much is clear -- social distancing is an essential part of our collective response. As People of God, it is our moral, civic, and spiritual obligation to care for one another by taking the necessary steps to slow the spread of this virus while continuing to serve our communities with generosity, hope, and joy.
Throughout the week, I have received council and advice from our Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry and my Bishop Colleagues in Michigan, Chicago and Indianapolis, Episcopal Relief and Development and the Office of Government Relations of the Episcopal Church. I also consulted with Clergy and Lay Leaders of our Faith Communities via a ZOOM Conference Call earlier today. During our conference call, we arrived at a consensus that all in person public worship will be suspended until the end of March. This includes Mid-Week Services, Bible Study and Vestry Meetings for example. We will revisit this decision and may need to extend this suspension for a longer time.
This hiatus, which a colleague of mine called a Lenten fast from public worship, offers an opportunity for us to explore alternative expressions of worship. Beginning this Sunday, 15 March, I will offer online worship via a link. For those unable to connect online, I encourage you to pray using the Book of Common Prayer, especially the Services of Morning Prayer, Noon Day Prayer, Evening Prayer and Compline. As part of your prayers, please remember those who are ill with the virus…for their healing and recovery; for all health care professionals and for those who have died from the virus and those who mourn their deaths.
Out of an abundance of caution, I encourage you to not gather in person but look for ways to gather on the phone or online. Our clergy will certainly be following up with their wardens and vestry members to ensure that those who live alone or are in particularly challenging circumstances are cared for and remain connected to their faith community. Our clergy will also continue in their good work of pastoral care via phone and email.
Many of our faith communities make their buildings available to groups in the wider community. Until further notice, those space sharing partners should suspend their meetings.
While the Missioners and I will continue working, I am encouraging them to work remotely as much as possible. Please know that you can reach them or me via email or by phone.
In the midst of these days, there will need to be Pastoral Accommodations made for various circumstances. For example, the Visitation and Requiem Eucharist for Sylvia Little is this coming Monday, 16 March at the Cathedral of St. James. People are coming from long distances for the service and to support and comfort Bishop Ed and his family. However, if you are part of the vulnerable population at greater risk of infection, I urge you to watch the service via livestream. We also hope to have a Gathering at a later date to give thanks for Sylvia’s life and ministry.
In conclusion, I want to assure you of my prayer and support during these challenging and anxious times. We are called to be People of Hope even in the midst of worry and confusion! I am committed to remaining in touch with you on a regular basis.
“Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to God from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen!” Ephesians 3:20,21
This comes with a brother’s love,
Doug
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Douglas E. Sparks
VIII Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana
*We have added a page on our website for COVID-19 updates from the Diocese. Resources will be added throughout the evening and weekend. Please visit this page for the most up-to-date information regarding COVID-19 from the Episcopal Church.
Dear Sisters, Brothers, Siblings,
As you know, we are receiving daily updates from federal health officials regarding the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019, also known as COVID-19. I am writing to provide you with information and sensible practices, in hopes of limiting the spread of this virus.
During this time, the following adaptations in our worship should be implemented. These adaptations are based on advice from a variety of sources from Episcopal Relief and Development, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, the Indiana State Department of Health, and Mayo Clinic.
Episcopal Relief & Development is updating this webpage with comprehensive resources about the virus, its cause and simple measures for its prevention. Among the most important:
Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water, including after coughing, sneezing, handling diapers, preparing food or using the bathroom.
Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.
Stay home when you feel sick.
So that we can play our part in limiting the spread of an outbreak if it occurs in our region, I suggest that our faith communities consider the following temporary amendments to our liturgical and community practices:
Clergy and Eucharistic ministers can use hand sanitizer visibly when celebrating the Eucharist or distributing the elements and have it available for worshippers to use.
Ask worshippers to avoid intinction (the dipping of the host or bread into the chalice).
Use metal chalices rather than ceramic.
Remember that the Eucharist is complete when only one element (in this case, the bread) is received.
Replace hugs and handshakes at the peace with waves, elbow bumps, bows, or peace signs.
Pray for those who are ill and encourage them to stay home.
Remind coffee hour and feeding program volunteers to wash their hands and handle food with utensils or food safety gloves.
The Missioners and I are monitoring this on a daily basis. If the Indiana State Department of Health reports confirmed cases of the virus in Indiana, we will communicate quickly to clergy and lay leaders with any additional recommendations they may suggest.
Our role as Christians, and particularly for those of us called to leadership in the church, is to help alleviate fear and anxiety with accurate information and support. I want to thank Bishop Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows for the bulk of this text and her permission to share it with you. I also want to thank you for your good work in attending to these suggestions and to commend to your prayer all those directly addressing the consequences of this virus.
Blessings these Lenten days,
The Rev. Dr. Douglas E. Sparks
VIII Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana
