Social distancing and the avoidance of crowded spaces are some of the precautionary measures that authorities are encouraging. If you choose to keep your restrooms open (the Governor’s Office recommends keeping them closed), be sure to post signs about washing hands in bathrooms with appropriate guidelines to doing so. The SACC has used these norms and standards to make a case on behalf of the leaders of SACC member churches, for self-regulation by member churches. After disrobing, the Clergy shall again wash their hands with soap under running water for at least 20 seconds. Two ministers may share the services only in the presence of a cleric more susceptible to the virus, as a caveat against his/her exhaustion. These guidelines are tabulated in this report but the SACC will assist member churches and affiliates who may need to supplement their guidelines. After wide consultations with the religious sector, the government is now in a position to categorize religious counselling as an essential service, said Min Service times and attendance registers to be maintained with the personal details of attendees. With effect from today, the eve of the coronavirus lockdown, we will be focussing in links on this Provincial website not only on publishing guidelines, but also sharing resources for worship, prayer and ministry in a time of the coronavirus, COVID-19 and the lockdown in South African dioceses of our Province. However, our ability to contribute to our people’s spiritual needs – and therefore the nation’s morale at this critical time – as well as the material contributions to people’s welfare which our social ministries offer, has been curtailed by a failure to recognise clergy as providing an “essential service” to the communities in which we work. For all official information and updates regarding COVID-19, visit the South African Department of Health's website at www.sacoronavirus.co.za. Floors and pews/benches/chairs need to be wiped down before and after services with cloths soaked in disinfectant. No gathering outside or coffee bars after the service. Make sure that the Church is well ventilated by opening windows. Anyone with close contact with people who are showing symptoms in the past 14 days should also be prevented from attending. The Church supports the staged adjustments to the lockdown, tailored according to regional and sectoral needs, upon which the Government has embarked. Attendees arranged alphabetically to make the required quota for the worship service. Seating must be according to the ‘social distance’ of the recommended distance between participants in every direction. So precautionary measures must be practiced all the time. With a number of workers set to return to work from Monday under level 4 of lockdown, the Labour Department has drafted the minimum guidelines for employers to ensure the workplace is safe for returning employees. The Minister of Employment and Labour signed a Direction in terms of section 10(8) of the National Disaster Regulations that provides for measures employers are required to adhere to at this time. These include precautions that the Church centrally must lead, and those that lie in the hands of its local Clergy, and Congregation. In Southern Africa it has published a document of ethical standards called ‘Integrity in Ministry’. This article discusses recent regulations setting out specific measures that employers must to take to protect employees. Each province has mat makers and member churches must take the trouble to support these churches with procurement. Controlling people-to-people transmission: People will need to be actively discouraged from attending if they have an infection of any type. The lockdown regulations that prohibit our meeting in public worship feel very hard on us and our churches. SACC is particularly sensitive in the case of the rural and poor congregations, that have challenges with water and sanitary provisions such as toilets and sanitisers. As the occupancy cap increases, the number of different facilities in use will go down. As of September 11, 2020, the First Presidency has provided updated guidelines to help leaders and members safely increase engagement in worship and other activities during the pandemic. Except for those businesses and institutions that are expressly excluded (see the excluded businesses here), businesses may operate, and employees may travel to and from work.. Travel permits. Church Groups or members who have sewing skills can be requested to sew and sell masks at a reasonable price. As such, it will be based on the size of the Church and social distancing requirements that will determine the number in the congregation. National Church Leaders meet to discuss the role of Churches and Faith Communities in the implementation of the National Development Plan (NDP). Alert level 1 is in place from 00h01 on 21 September 2020. In the tough choices between lives and livelihoods that all of society faces, the Church is obligated to place theological and pastoral imperatives, derived from the Scriptures and our lived experience as people of faith, at the forefront of our considerations. Church leaders are instructed to consult the First Presidency letter from April 16, 2020, “Administrative Principles in Challenging Times,” and its two enclosures (see here and here).They are also invited to consider these additional principles and guidelines to continue to prevent the spread of COVID-19: In testimony of that, each leader needs to be conscious, and take every measure to ensure the application of these norms and standards in the congregations of the church. This article discusses recent regulations setting out specific measures that employers must to take to protect employees. Members who have flu-like symptoms must avoid coming into contact with each other. A church might start by allowing a certain level of occupancy and subsequently raise it by a percentage as guidelines allow for further opening up. In order to keep people healthy and safe, recovering from the pandemic is going to need to be a marathon, not a sprint. We have supported suspending public worship for very practical pastoral reasons, and it is necessary to remind ourselves of that context today. Persons to be assigned at the entrance door to spray sanitisers on the hands of every member coming to and leaving the service. To feed in queries and information of local concerns, they can email to info@churchinaction.org.za. Pastor/Bishop/Moderator should take the responsibility on behalf of his or her Church, and should there be a breach, heavy punishment/penalty be placed on the responsible Priest, Pastor or Bishop, by the church, to demonstrate the seriousness and importance of ensuring that Churches too, are COVID-19 compliant. Family paid R100,000 to 'quash docket' but were conned by bogus Hawks South Africa . As churches prepare to return to church Bible study and worship gatherings, our first imperative is “do no harm.” Instead of providing a list of dos and don’ts we offer a series of questions as conversation starters and guidelines for pastors and laity. She suggested adopting a Phase + 7 strategy. This includes the following categories of people:  Those with weak immunity – mainly with underlying health conditions such as TB, diabetes, cancer, and HIV, especially those not taking anti-retroviral treatment. The priest/minister/pastor, standing centrally at either the altar rail or sanctuary steps, shall administer the host to the communicant’s hands. A man wearing a face mask to protect against coronavirus speaks to a woman in a building in Bo-Kaap Cape Town, South Africa, May 23, 2020. Church leaders/ Bishops and other clergy should continue to make it clear that attending a live Eucharist service, is a decision for people to make, without risking themselves and others; and that churches where possible, will continue with streaming live liturgies. Leadership believes that the church can meet under limited physical distancing protocols by implementing limited guidelines. This will be critical for rural churches where running water may not be adequately available for long hand washing. This means that only the minister will use the chalice. The Church, as an integral part of society, is faced with the same challenges as the rest of society. As the lockdown in South Africa is eased and businesses start to re-open, ensuring the health and safety of employees and members of the public will be of paramount importance. Aligned with its vision of creating An Active and Winning Nation, its primary focuses are providing opportunities for all South Africans to participate in sport; managing the regulatory framework thereof, and providing funding for different codes of sport. In that capacity, they can play a vital role in caring for our people’s spiritual, emotional and material well-being under carefully-formulated guidelines to protect them in the way health workers, the police and the army are protected from infection. Two meters is not far enough apart for hymns to be sung. Stewards at the door will take people’s temperatures and those with readings of 38 degrees Celsius and above will be asked to return home. There is a growing number of Covid-19 related deaths and a growth in gender-based violence. Where elderly people do come to worship, say above 55 or 60, it is recommended that they worship by themselves; this is the principle of defining worship attendees per service by age range. The South African government on Friday unveiled guidelines for religious gatherings after the country eases COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Purpose of the document This document outlines the standard operating procedures for detection and response to case/s of suspected novel coronavirus disease (2019-nCoV) in South Africa. 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As we have already noted, as a country we are bracing ourselves for a “storm” of infections as large-scale. Based on the above, services may need to be spaced. Service suspensions (changes from normal practice): Droplets are carried further when we sing and we also breathe in more deeply in singing, and as such, choirs have been known breeding grounds for the virus. Most normal activity can resume, with precautions and health guidelines followed at all times. The SACC held a meeting with Ramaphosa on Thursday. People taking offering should wear gloves and wash their hands as required. That makes self-regulation in each church to be the full burden of the member church leadership. The revenue challenge is just as big for the church institutions whose functioning depends entirely on the dedicated giving of the members, and for some, even more on the weekly takings without which there is no way to support the ministers of the church. Some church leaders have voiced their disapproval of the restrictions, which include social distancing and the banning of large gatherings. If served, please note: Communion wine to be taken only by the Celebrant, otherwise small distribution cups can be provided where permitted by regulations. For example, check for a quota of attendees permitted, such as the current arrangement at funerals where only 50 people are allowed. Marking out pews for the appropriate seating order. The singing of hymns may need to be considered VERY carefully. Ensure adequate supply of 70% alcohol-based hand sanitisers. Communion in one kind, individually received, whilst standing. SACBC Khanya House Tribute to Fr Emil Blaser, Founder of Radio Veritas, Catholic Church Message of Condolences on the passing on of Fr Emil Blaser OP, Join a Virtual Public Lecture by Prof. PLO Lumumba on challenges of Corruption and Economic Transformation in South Africa, Catholic Church gives Clarity on the Homosexual Civil Union Issue. A specific time should be allocated for daily worship. As we consider the policy options for the church, our people are in the throes of starvation, leading them to run in all directions with not a remote prospect of finding food, to mitigate the serious food insecurity. The time has now come for the Government to treat our clergy/ministers/pastors, lay workers and volunteers as a service corps of “essential church frontline workers”, based in church buildings and other structures. Communion in one kind should continue as was the case before the lockdown, still with no kneeling at the altar rail, but instead standing with the social distance provision. Catechism classes are suspended until further notice. Bishop Ough asks every congregation in the Dakotas Conference to develop a plan for how to return to in-person worship in a gradual manner. On the other hand, many South Africans are expressing lockdown exhaustion, with hundreds and thousands of livelihoods lost, many more jobs on the line, and many people starving, with prospects for a revival of the economy and an increase in Government revenue becoming more and more distant. A congregation of 50 can only fit into a church of 100 square metres or more, to allow for the necessary social distancing. Church leaders need to develop a plan for dancing back and forth between phases as well as a logistics plan for a potential second wave of outbreaks. Attendees must be allocated by regions/blocks/sections to limit the number of persons per session to assist in the management of flow, attendance, and numbers at any given time (wyksgemeentes). A roster, possibly, alphabetical order, of all congregations to be maintained. These norms and standards will require detailed planning for application, with due regard to the diverse contexts of our congregations and their resource capacities. Citizens will be appropriately informed as we move to the next levels,” said Zikalala. Where more than one service in a building is required per Sunday, time must be allowed for cleaning between services. This applies particularly to the Clergy, servers, and sacristans as they will be the common denominators in the event of the spread of infection across services held at the Church. Presider/preacher should ideally be the same person. The Church can supply cloth masks to those without any, or. Ministers /Priests/Pastors should help their congregants/ parishioners make good decisions in this regard. All should move into the sanctuary discreetly to limit contact with others as far as possible. These norms and standards are a small but significant way to effectively rebuke the storm of the virus in our congregations. What we are saying is that if a grade 12 or grade 7 learner is trusted to go to school, government should also trust the church people to go back to the church.” Loading… South Africa currently has 9 420 COVID-19 infections and 186 deaths. Only persons belonging to individual families (who live together without social distancing norms) may sit together. Weekly Worship and Activities In May 2020, the Church authorized a phased return to some aspects of its weekly worship services and activities. The president of the mass/Holy Communion, must sanitise before the service, at the preparation of the elements for the Eucharist and after receiving Communion. Churches are requested to study them carefully; including the suggestions of between 4 to 12 weeks of preparation time. The Anglican Bishop of London, the Rt Rev Sarah Mullally, said churches might not return to normal services before the end of the year. No handshaking, hugging, or kissing even during peace. Lay Ministers can assist the ordained minister in conducting the worship service. Churchwardens/ushers/stewards or their deputies must ensure the orderly approach to the distribution point and the safe return to the communicant’s seat. [This is a critically important consideration as clergy may quite unknowingly be virus carriers. South Africa went into lockdown in March to reduce the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. For this reason, it is recommended that churches conduct a quick status analysis of their congregations. This in the same way that schools have to have a readiness plan that is verifiable by central administration. The objective to which we all commit, is to save lives. The recommended preparatory steps include: The church of Jesus Christ has never been here before, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba has said it all when he says: “COVID-19 will test as never before our capacity as a Church to innovate and share with one another” Now is that time. The SACC is an instrument and servant of its members and is committed to expressing, through proclamation and programmes, the united witness of the church in South Africa, especially in matters of national debate. Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) is the national government department responsible for sport in South Africa. Presbytery meetings and other majority assemblies to be postponed indefinitely; unless they can be conducted electronically. I spoke with Mallory Hammond, kids ministry director at Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Rural and outdoor churches that use reed mats will need new mats that can best work with spray sanitisers. What the guidelines are about: These guidelines clarify the difference between isolation and quarantine. These are the large immune-compromised communities, not the ones flooding the beaches, but rather the ones risking to flood the food lines. UPDATE: MARCH 26, 08:05. Safety bins to be provided with plastic liners to be easily and safely disposed of after each service. We have in our communities some 300,000 people with TB, about 7 million people with HIV/AIDS, some 2 million are said not to be on anti-retroviral medication. A register of attendees needs to be maintained for contact tracing. As the occupancy cap increases, the number of different facilities in use will go down. The opening of worship space is for pastoral and spiritual purposes and must serve that purpose in the holiness of safety. In the current situation, to reflect the compassion of Christ, we must prioritise the vulnerability of the poor to this virus and its effects. The question we need to shift our attention to asking isn’t about when to re-open our churches and resume gathering but how to do it. Churches will need to pay special attention to the needs of poor congregations, which mostly serve communities with no running water, and no easy access to sanitisers, in order to meet the requirements of these operational standards. Strict adherence to laws regarding COVID-19 at all times and all protocols as prescribed by the government are to be observed. No one with even the slightest symptoms of cold should attend services. In the face of this, our people who are the present day disciples of Jesus, are crying out to Him in their heightened anxieties, saying “do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38 NRSV). The detailed recommendations of what to do before any congregation can consider worshipping together are on page 4 of this document. SACC Secretariat is exploring suppliers of bulk sanitisers, paper towels etc. In our pursuit to bring back the worship and pastoral ministry of the church, we seek to bring that reassuring voice of Christ. These guidelines are tabulated in this report but the SACC will assist member churches and affiliates who may need to supplement their guidelines. Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) Expresses solidarity with African people amid COVID-19, Bishop Frank reflects on the murder of his Friend George Floyd, Catholic Church reaffirms the decision to resume religious services under level three lockdown, Precious Blood Sisters Confirm Covid-19 Tragedy in their Mother House, COVID Status Analysis for each congregation with specifics of what is required as per these Norms and Standards. They must also wear gloves, and wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use alcohol-based hand sanitiser. Be still!” (4:39). South Africa has 150 confirmed cases, but no deaths. In adopting these norms and standards each church leader as member of the SACC National Church Leadership is assuming the burden and responsibility to protect the lives of the worshipping congregations of the church s/he is elected to lead. The SACC recommends a preparatory period of 4 to 12 weeks for all churches to be able to function safely. Each parish/local Church must have a task team (with people with skills and knowledge of our guidelines and measures given by the State). Thousands of kids to repeat year because ‘automatic progression’ policy delayed News . UPDATE: MARCH 26, 08:05. No one with even the slightest cold ought to attend services. The Celebrant would administer the Sacrament at a safe distance, and only place it on the hand of the recipient and NOT the tongue. Sacristans/attendants, Lay Ministers, and servers must observe a similar discipline. The reality of the vulnerability of poor people to this virus and its effects stares every sector of society in the face. Ziphozihle Siwa, SACC President   Malusi Mpumlwana, SACC General Secretary, SACBC Copyright © 2018. There need only be one Lay minister assisting to lead the service, as well as one altar server to assist at the altar. Seating encouraged to be by alternate rows. President of the Council, Dr Monokoane Hlobo, says the church has a role to play during this time. Physical distances to be strictly observed, with no hand contact during the service, especially at the peace. The most visible ritual for sacramental churches is Mass, Eucharist, Holy Communion or a service of common meal. Cleaning with detergents, all the buildings before and after services, to thoroughly sanitise the Church for the new congregation. Mixed reaction to court’s ruling against single-religion schools South Africa X Read more at the SA government's online coronavirus portal or use the 24-hour public hotline: 0800 029 999 In Scotland and in Northern Ireland Christmas bubbles are allowed up to 8 people from 3 households, while in Wales only 2 households can meet. Now to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever. (function(d){var js, id="pikto-embed-js", ref=d.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];if (d.getElementById(id)) { return;}js=d.createElement("script"); js.id=id; js.async=true;js.src="https://create.piktochart.com/assets/embedding/embed.js";ref.parentNode.insertBefore(js, ref);}(document)); South Africa currently has 9 420 COVID-19 infections and 186 deaths. Everyone entering the Church must wear a face mask to cover the nose and mouth completely. No greeters to be present at the door; only stewards to control the numbers entering based on social distancing requirements as per the regulations. Collections and dedicated giving envelopes to be offered at the sanctuary step into large containers. It’s necessary and essential ministry has been disrupted as much as that of the work of any other sector, and its loss of revenue – which depends heavily on weekly giving at services – has a considerable impact on the estimated one million or more employed by the churches in various forms of ministry and pastoral social services. Those regarded to be at high risk of infection, such as the elderly and people with underlying health conditions, should be encouraged to stay at homes; and Priests, Deacons, Churchwardens/Stewards/officers and lay ministers should be most solicitous to ensure as many as possible who cannot attend live Eucharist services receive it using social media services and home visits. Lay Ministers of Communion sanitising hands regularly whilst administering Communion. Wales is also under Tier 4 measures. • Pastors set the tone for their flock. You have people who need to be counseled on their problems, particularly with regards to gender-based violence and the church has a role to pray for the healing of the land so that that is why we are actually saying the President should actually allow the church to start to operate gradually. Resource details: Publication title: Guidelines for quarantine and isolation in relation to COVID-19 exposure and infection Author(s): The department of health Publication date: 5 May 2020.On 17 July these guidelines were updated. What we are saying is that if a grade 12 or grade 7 learner is trusted to go to school, government should also trust the church people to go back to the church.”. Following the dismissal, the Clergy must observe social distancing when speaking to persons outside the building. COVID-19 comes upon us on top of these longstanding challenges of our society. Note: This article is intended as a starting point for your church as you consider the right course of action for your local congregation. The return to Church will require careful management by the minister and local congregational leadership as Churches reopen. New church/ministry registration online -Register a new church or ministry in South Africa with nporegistrations.co.za, for only R1 199.00 you get a church non-profit certificate, memorandum of incorporation and the church name reserved for your church all inclusive from this amount. Its aim is to enable all Church workers to develop and maintain the highest possible standards in pastoral ministry. Social distancing must be maintained as per regulatory guidelines. The congregations/parishes to procure forehead thermometer to screen and use members of the health team in the parish. These guidelines come as government gradually reopens the economy under level 4 of lockdown while ensuring that the spread […] “The church should actually play a role in the present situation.
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