Posted 337 days ago
Dealing with swine flu in church
from Dave Roberts, “Angels of Mercy” Christianity Magazine UK (September 2009), 31. Used with permission.
It might sound like an obvious first step, but make sure your database is up to date. Do you have everyone in your congregation’s address, mobile phone number, email address and family details? This would become much more important if Sunday gatherings become impossible or people are needed quickly.
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have advised the suspension of a shared chalice during communion to stop the spread of infection. You may also want to consider stopping hugs and handshakes when sharing the peace
Think about putting an announcement in the notice sheet advising people with flu like symptoms not to come to church until they recover.
Wash your hands regularly, especially after services or other people-contact. Alcohol gel can also be used.
Remember that the flu virus can persist on hard surfaces so consider asking the congregation to bring in their own Bibles or put reading and liturgy on PowerPoint or an OHP.
Try to clean surfaces, such as door handles, after every meeting, using your normal cleaning products. You could leave doors open to reduce the number of people touching the handles – unless they are fire doors.
If you are running a Sunday school or holiday club ask helpers to indicate to a leader if they have any underlying health conditions which might make them more susceptible to flu. Have a mechanism for notifying them if they come in contact with a flu case as they may need preventative treatment.
There is no role for facemasks in church, but if it is necessary for the ministry team to visit sick people at home or in hospital their use should be considered.
Develop a church contingency plan for reduced staff and volunteer numbers, this will need to address issues such as running children’s activities with fewer helpers and plans for services if the minister is sick.
Think about what you will do to continue worshipping and feeding your faith in the event of having to suspend Sunday services. Your minister could post sermons on YouTube, or email a set of prayers and reflections. Take steps now to clarify how many people in your congregation have Internet access.
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