COVID-19 alters life at the altar

Christian fellowship and worship across the island have already begun to undergo drastic changes in the wake of the threat posed by the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19.

Church leaders have given directives to their members that have begun to influence interaction among churchgoers’ rituals of worship, pastoral care, counting of offerings, and even put the christening of babies on hold.

COVID-19, a new strain of the human coronavirus, is a respiratory illness whose symptoms range from a mild cough to pneumonia. Some people are recovering easily while others become extremely ill quickly. World health officials are saying that the practice of good hygiene can prevent infection while isolating sufferers and suspected carriers.

President of the Barbados Evangelical Association (BEA) Dr Nigel Taylor said that while evangelical churches are known for their intimate worship, the pastors should seek to eliminate, minimize or limit all the possible forms of direct or indirect contact during the services which might prove detrimental to the health of both the minister and members.

Dr Taylor said the association is advising that greeting choruses which are usually sung during the worship service to foster physical fellowship should be temporarily suspended out of an abundance of caution to avoid physical contact through kissing and hugging.

The BEA president also suggested that if persons present signs of the illness in any form, they should proactively remain at home during the service hours and seek medical attention if it worsens.

In an advisory to pastors, Dr Taylor said: “When ministers are praying at the altar, the altar worshippers and or anyone seeking special prayer should understand and be supportive if the minister prays with them without touching any part of their body.

“When the pastor is serving the communion, it is recommended that unlike the past where some communion stewards or assisting ministers pass the utensil with the bread or wafers to the communicant who physically takes from the utensil that this be temporarily discontinued.

“It is recommended that the Minister celebrating the sacrament should, along with those serving the communion table, either wash their hands thoroughly or use the sanitizing gel before and even during the distribution.

“It is further recommended that only the Minister serves the bread by placing bread or wafer into the hands of the communicant.”

He added that the use of single glasses should be continued during communion and all utensils used during the service should be sterilized.

As it relates to the dedication of infants, Dr Taylor advised that pastors should be extremely careful when conducting the ritual, and should use hygienic measures.

Dr Taylor said: “Currently the laws of Barbados require the Certificate of Birth for registration of a child, therefore this act of dedication could be conducted at a later time when the threat of community disease is less threatening.”

Dr Taylor also condemned the use of social media to spread misinformation about COVID-19 which has been received from unsupported sources, Government, through the Minister of Health, Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and World Health Organisation (WHO), has been preparing credible information for dissemination.

He said: “Churches cannot occupy and remain in a vacuum. Because you are a Christian does not mean that you might not be catching COVID.  You do not hide behind religion.

“What you need to do when you are coming to church, walk with your Bible, walk with your hymn book and walk with a small bottle of hand sanitizer. You have a duty of care to ensure that you exercise a degree of commonsense.”

The Anglican Church has also advised its members to avoid hugging, kissing or giving handshakes until an all clear has been given by authorities and Bishop indicates otherwise.

In a letter read to the Anglican faithful on Sunday, Archdeacon Eric Lynch, in his capacity as Vicar General and acting for a travelling Bishop Michael Maxwell, indicated that Holy Communion should be administered in one kind only – bread is to be placed on the hands of the recipient instead of the tongue.

The letter continued: “Our teaching is that Jesus is received in the bread just as in the bread and wine. Only the celebrant should drink from the chalice. Suspend direct physical contact as part of a blessing or ‘laying on of hands’.

“The church’s duty of care extends to the members of the clergy. Kindly advise the faithful that if they have influenza-type symptoms, they should not call the clergy for pastoral visitation.

“Pastoral support for parishioners who are unable to attend church services should be provided by telephone, or social media. Parishioners who feel ill and display influenza like symptoms should stay at home.”

The Anglican Church also encouraged the continuation of worship which is integral to healthy living, and asked members to continue to pray for those searching for a cure, health workers and those suffering from the virus.

Reverend David Durant of Restoration Ministries told Barbados TODAY that his church has installed hand sanitisers across the church, in addition to equipping members with the necessary knowledge about the virus.

Dr Durant said: “We want them to practice good hygiene. We are also ensuring that our bathrooms are always clean and we have hand sanitizers in the bathrooms.

“But I just want to encourage the public not to allow fear to dominate them at this time because fear can bring on stress and paralysis and can affect us emotionally in a very negative way.

“So I am appealing to people to just have faith in good and trust him during this time to protect us from the virus that has become a pandemic across the world.”

Barbados TODAY understands that several other denominations have also ramped up good hygienic practices at their respective worship centres. anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb