In yesterday’s edition of the New York Times, there was a very interesting article by Julie Bosman and Mitch Smith about how coronavirus is changing church practices, “Worship in the Age of Coronavirus: Prayer, Elbow Bumps, Hand Sanitizer:”

Fear of the coronavirus has rippled across the country and directly into places of worship. Religious leaders, mindful that cases have been discovered in at least 15 states, have begun taking measures that could discourage the spread of the virus in the large groups common in churches, synagogues and mosques.

When it came time for the sign of peace ritual during Sunday Mass at St. Mary Catholic Church in southeastern Wisconsin, hundreds of parishioners did exactly what their pastor had asked.

Instead of reaching across the pews to shake hands, they greeted each other with gentle bows.

I share the following letter in which new parish procedures have been instituted by Bishop Greg Rickel in the Diocese of Olympia, Washington (where the coronavirus deaths have occurred.) It is heartbreaking to know things have come to this!

With all of this new information and with some new requests from health officials, I have decided to require the clergy of this diocese to practice the following guidelines:

While the common cup, properly administered, has been scientifically proven to be safer than intinction, health officials are now asking us to cease the use of the common cup. For this reason, I am asking that this be done in all of our parishes starting immediately. The cup can certainly continue to be used by the priest in the presidency of the Eucharist but offering it to the altar party and/or the congregation should cease for the time being. Last week I asked you to consider stopping the practice of intinction. Today, I am directing you to stop the use of the common cup.

With this in mind, communion will only be offered in one kind, the bread. With this, I have received a few new practices and ideas. One is to have as few people as possible, preferably priests, to administer the bread, and that those people wash their hands and sanitize often while distributing. Every effort should be made not to touch the hands of those receiving. One step further, and I do not think this has been tried yet, but could certainly work, is for the presider to place bread in Dixie cups, and to set out a tray for congregants to come forward and carry back with them.

The new request from health officials regards the water in the baptismal font. I guess one good thing is that this is happening in Lent. So, for Lent, and until we know more, I am requesting that when possible, and if at all possible, water in the fonts be drained, and that the practice of dipping the hands in the water of a font be discontinued. Scientists who have reviewed this feel that the virus could be spread in this manner, though not proven. They also ask that if doing baptisms that new water be used for each person. I am directing you to do this however, this being Lent, there should be very few baptisms!

The Peace. All physical contact should be discontinued during the Peace. Many of you have already gone to this. Practice bowing, making a prayerful sign to the other person, looking at them lovingly and offering the Peace, but then moving on without touching.

Eucharistic Visitors. I believe this practice of sending Eucharistic Visitors should be ceased for now. Eucharistic Visitors visiting homes is an opportunistic issue with this virus, and puts those in the home, and those visiting, at risk. My request is that home visits be restricted to ordained persons for now and that Eucharistic Visitors not be deployed until further notice.

Passing the offering plate. You are urged not to pass this from hand to hand, despite what I have wished for over these past years. You are encouraged to instruct your people not to touch it, but to have your ushers make sure anyone who wants to put an offering in can. You might even put the plate in one spot and ask people to come to the plate to put in their offerings.

Additionally, make sure you have hand sanitizer in plentiful supplies at every entrance to your worship space, and your property. If you cannot find hand sanitizer use rubbing alcohol of 70% or more. And please reiterate to all congregants that each person should, in their own minds and hearts, decide how much or little they will participate. For now, health officials are not calling for gatherings to cease, but they are calling for us to be very mindful of how we gather and what we do when we do.

As things change, we will be constantly monitoring and putting out updates. Let’s try to live out of preparation and education, and not fear. Let’s be the people God calls us to be. I want to thank all of you, so many of you, doing heroic and good work, and for sending your concerns, ideas, suggestions, and praise. All of that is needed right now, from all of us. Finally, let’s be “the Church” in this. We cannot hunker down or simply disappear, but indeed we must, also as we can, help others. We can, and should, pray, but also work for the good of the whole. That is certainly a real trait and signature of a professing Christian.

Wow, times have changed! Hey, there’s even a Wikipedia entry for elbow bumps!