Best Practices for Worship during the Coronavirus Outbreak
 
Worship as a community of faith is central to our life in the church. We gather to hear God’s Word proclaimed, offer prayers for ourselves, others and the world, and to receive Holy Communion – (the body and blood of Christ). In our current environment, we must consider the best we can protect each other and still gather as the Body of Christ). The following are recommendations from Bishop Dabney Smith (our Diocesan Bishop) as well as helpful hints from the Center for Disease Control (C.D.C.).
 
The Passing of the Peace
 
It is acceptable (and at this time, recommended) to exchange the peace by acknowledging those around you by the nodding of the head, elbow bump or slight bow. For those who wish to continue the practice of passing the Peace with a hand shake, hand sanitizer is available in all of the pews.
 
The Receiving of Holy Communion
 

• The Book of Common Prayer teaches that if one is unwell that it is suitable to receive the Sacrament in one kind only (Bread or wine). Further, that to receive one or the other is to receive the fullness of Communion. If you are not feeling certain – just receive the consecrated Bread.
• During this flu-outbreak, the church recommends that individuals NOT instinct their wafer into the chalice. 
• The clergy and chalice bearers clean their hands with alcohol-based hand sanitizer before and after Communion.

 
Stay at home if you are ill and attend worship by watching the service on-line
 
If you are feeling any flu symptoms, please do not attend church in person. Instead, consider tuning into the service (in-real-time) by going to our church website, www.standrewsbocagrande.org to the Quick Links on the Home Page and click on “Live Stream.” You must watch in real time (i.e. 8:00 a.m. or 10:00 a.m. Sunday morning). Alternately, you can listen to the recorded service in its entirety the following day.
 
Keep informed through   
1. the C.D.C.      https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html and 
2. the World Health Organization