URGENT ADVISORY FROM BISHOP
SATURDAY, MARCH 21
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
These are really fast-moving times. I know this is disconcerting and unsettling for many of us. I have to say that in the middle of a 14 day isolation period I do long for normality. The simple fact that I am coming to terms with is that normality will be some time off and, as our Prime Minister is saying, we need to keep ahead of this. We are in a good place to contain this and support those in our community who are most vulnerable.
You will have heard today’s update from the Prime Minister, which in particular advises those in the 70+ age group and other vulnerable people minimize their physical contact with other people. It also encourages a further general reduction in physical contact. You can watch it by clicking here. Please note that the statement starts around 1:05 into the video
We have also heard from our Anglican National Pandemic Advisory Group with the following short message:
The National Pandemic Advisory Group give the following advice:
Following the PM'Ss declaration on Saturday 21 March at midday of a level 2 situation, requesting at-risk groups to remain at home, which includes those over 70 years and those with other respiratory or health conditions:
We recommend that you ask clergy who are holding services this weekend to meet people at the church door and if they are in these groups to pastorally ask them to return home, knowing they will be prayed for by those who do gather, even for a simple act of worship.
We also encourage all church offices to begin remote working protocols for anyone in these groups.
In the light of this, and in spite of our desire to still hold public worship tomorrow, I now ask that each community of worship makes its own decision about the wisdom and feasibility of gathering in churches. You will need to do this based on the size of your building and the feasibility of maintaining the ideal 2m physical separation, along with the demographic of your congregation and the levels of vulnerability within it.
If you decide to proceed, please take whatever steps are possible to discourage people in those vulnerable groups from gathering. That may mean arranging for phone calls to be made to the over 70s and others to encourage them to stay at home. Physical spaces between people must be able to be maintained. You might decide to have a shorter, simpler service. There should be no morning tea gathering afterwards.
If you decide not to proceed, please get the word around by whatever means you can: email, Facebook, phone calls, etc. I would encourage clergy or other church leaders to be at the church door tomorrow to greet people and explain to them the decision that has been taken. A notice should also be placed on the church door as soon as possible.
It was my very real hope that tomorrow we could have gathered as worshipping communities in the way that is familiar to us, and so to be able to offer care and encouragement to one another. But this does not mean that we will stop worshipping God! Many of you are already well advanced with plans for other ways of providing for worship and spiritual nurture. Our emphasis in the coming week across the Diocese and the wider Church will be on sharing resources and offering advice and help on that in whatever way we can. There is I believe a real opportunity to develop and grow our ministry and mission. To be stronger rather than weaker in our service and witness.
With every blessing and the assurance that I pray each day for you and give thanks for the leadership you offer.
+ Philip
Archbishop Philip Richardson
Bishop of Waikato and Taranaki
Archbishop and Primate
Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
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