COVID-19 Procedures
How We Worship Safely
This content was last updated on June 20, 2021.
Procedures and Protocols for Worship
These policies help us worship together safely, receive communion, and stay connected during this difficult and complicated time. Please help us by following them when attending outdoor worship.
Our plans and procedures are based on requirements and recommendations passed down to us from our state-wide governing body, the Episcopal Church in Minnesota. You can read current ECMN guidelines for congregations here. (This link goes to a PDF that was current as of June 20, 2021.)
We have been approved by the ECMN for indoor services with this safety plan. At this time, we are having Sunday services outdoors except in inclement weather. See below for details.
About the Outdoor Worship Service
See below for information about safe communion, which applies to both indoor and outdoor services.
- RSVP System: You no longer need to RSVP. You may choose to RSVP if you are visiting and would like to receive the order of service and any cancelation-due-to-weather notices. RSVPing is low-tech: just email Lars, our office manager.
- Confirmation Email and Order of Service: Our office manager posts the order of service (bulletin) for the service on CCB in the Announcements group. That means that you will receive an email titled “Our Church – Announcements” from Lars each week. If you are not on CCB, you are welcome to RSVP so you get that email forwarded to you.
- Masking Protocol: We are no longer requiring masks at outdoor worship. However, many people still choose to wear one for health reasons. Masking is up to you. We do ask that if you choose to sing, you put a mask on.
- Observe 6′ of physical distance: Please maintain 6′ physical distance when we meet together.
- Location: Currently our outdoor worship services are held in College Park on the Doswell side. You do not need to be able to use stairs to access this section of the park, if you park your car on Doswell Avenue.
- Music: The choir is back, as are brass instruments, guitars, and many other incredible musicians. Singers remain masked when singing. The congregation may also sing, but you must put your mask on while you are singing.
- Bring a lawn chair or blanket: if you do not feel comfortable standing for the entire service, you’re welcome to bring a foldable camp or lawn chair!
About the Indoor Worship Service
See below for information about safe communion, which applies to both indoor and outdoor services.
- Sunday Services will only be indoors in inclement weather.* You will receive an email about this from CCB, and you will have an opportunity to RSVP at that time. If you are not on CCB, please email Lars, our office manager, and he can let you know whether the service will be indoors and, if so, let you reserve a spot.
- RSVP: Our sanctuary has a capacity of 30 households. We will take RSVPs for indoor worship using Sign Up Genius on a first-come first-serve basis. The link to this sign up will be emailed to you when we announce the indoor service.
- The Wednesday Noon Eucharist will always be held indoors. In the summer, we hold this in the air conditioned Parish Hall.
- Contact Tracing: Please sign in at the Chelmsford Door when attending Wednesday services. The front doors of the church will not be open on Wednesdays. On Sundays, your RSVP for indoor worship will allow us to practice contact tracing.
- Masking Protocol: Masks are mandatory for indoor Sunday Services. This is to practice good hospitality to families with children who are ineligible for vaccination. If you are attending service on Wednesday, please have your mask with you and ready in the event that we are in multigenerational company.
- Observe 6′ of physical distance: Please maintain 6′ physical distance when we meet together.
- Where to Enter: On Wednesdays, the main doors of the church will not be open. Please enter on Chelmsford and sign in upon entry. On Sundays the main doors of the church will be open.
- Music: There will be no congregational singing at indoor worship. Masked cantors may sing.
Like any good Minnesotan, we are obsessed with checking the weather. When the forecast on Accuweather.com suggests a 60% or more chance of rain between 9 am and 12 pm on Sunday, we are likely to move indoors. This means that we often make the final call when hourly forecasts are available for Sunday morning.
How We Do Communion Safely
Communion is a vital part of our spiritual life, a promise that God makes to us to be present in the here and the now. We have developed this system for sharing communion without contact during this time, for those who wish to receive. You are not required to receive if you do not feel safe: you won’t offend anyone. All people who want to receive, regardless of spiritual affiliation, may receive communion at St. Matthew’s.
- People will have a choice between single-serve communion wafers in
compostable cups or a piece of pita bread (taken from a loaf).
Individual “coffee creamer” containers of grape juice are distributed as
wine. - All those who prepare communion before the service and the priests who speak over the bread and wine during the Eucharistic prayer are fully vaccinated. Communion servers also use hand sanitizer before distributing communion.
- For single-serve bread: Individual wafers are placed in compostable paper cups and covered on a tray. At the time of distribution, each participant takes the individual item from the tray and only touches what he or she will consume. Those who distribute communion do not hand the items to the participants.
- For a piece of pita bread: Current guidelines state that distributing communion from a common loaf of bread is considered safe. In this case, the priest will break off a piece and place it in the hands of the person receiving. In this case, only the priest will touch the common loaf, to avoid multiple hands touching the common loaf.
- When we worship indoors, please be aware to keep 6′ distance in the receiving line. Please do not remove your mask to consume the bread and wine until you have returned to your seat and are a safe distance from other households.
We’ve also been celebrating milestone birthdays with tributes and profiles in our newsletter, giving families the tools to do faith formation at home, and meeting online for bible studies, support groups, and social events. The ministry of the church has changed, but it is rich and full. There is a place for you in it, whether you are near or far.
To learn all about what we’ve been up to these last few months.
Photos of outdoor worship this summer are courtesy of Maja Beckstrom, Park Bugle.
