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Pastoral Letter Regarding Updated COVID-19 Guidelines

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December 29, 2021

Dear Siblings in the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana,

Grace and peace be with you in Jesus, the Light for all people!

As we face a rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalization rates in our area and the arrival of the new Omicron variant to Indiana, it is important that we revisit our diocesan COVID-19 guiding principles. As you may know, the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana is spread across 31 counties. The Indiana COVID-19 Dashboard and Map advisory level graphic was updated this afternoon. It currently reports that 19 of the 31 counties within our diocese are currently in the red advisory level. Those counties are Lake, Newton, Porter, Jasper, LaPorte, Starke, Marshall, Elkhart, Kosciusko, Wabash, Whitley, Noble, LaGrange, Steuben, DeKalb, Carroll, Howard, Grant, and Jay. The remaining 12 counties are currently in the orange advisory level. 

You may recall that in May 2020, nearly two months after closing all our physical spaces due to the outbreak of COVID-19, I released a pastoral plan, in collaboration with clergy and lay leaders from across the diocese, for how we could begin to regather in-person for worship. Together, we lived into those guidelines for several months. As we have learned more about COVID-19 and vaccines became widely available, we revised and updated our diocesan guidelines. In May 2021, we released guiding principles for each faith community to consider given their particular context. Each faith community has chosen to implement these guidelines differently based on what their clergy and lay leadership felt was right for their situation. 

The missioners and I met last week and discussed any revisions that may need to be made to our plan given our current situation. Therefore,effective January 1, I am requiring that proper masks be worn inside the buildings of our faith communities if the county in which your building is located and/or the county(s) where a significant number of parishioners live are in the red advisory level as shown by advisory level graphic on the Indiana COVID-19 Dashboard and Map. Clergy, readers, and choirs, can continue to remove their mask while speaking or singing if they are fully vaccinated, including having received a booster shot, and are speaking or singing in a location significantly distanced from the congregation as we know being able to read lips helps those with hearing difficulties. In addition, I strongly encourage each faith community to review their current operating procedures and to tighten up their COVID guidelines where they may have gotten a bit lax. Examples could include returning to tracking who is attending each service, reinforcing physical distancing in pews and during hospitality, and ensuring access to hand sanitizer and masks. Please also continue to provide services and formation opportunities in a hybrid format whenever possible.

Lastly, I want to reiterate the importance of getting vaccinated and receiving the booster shot. Doing this lessens your chances of getting sick with COVID-19 and requiring hospitalization. In addition, getting vaccinated and boosted helps to protect those around you who may not be able to receive the vaccine due to their age or other health concerns. Please consult with your doctor and do this at your earliest opportunity. 

As of the 28th of December 2021, 54,144,941 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the United States and 841,984 persons have died. Let’s continue praying for the healing of those who are infected with COVID. Pray for the health care professionals who are taking care of those infected. And pray for all who mourn those who have died. May those who have died, rest in Christ’s peace and rise in Christ’s glory.

Doug (he/him/his)

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Douglas E. Sparks
VIII Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana

Photo credit: Indiana COVID-19 Dashboard and Map website