Thursday, March 10, 2022
Dear friends in Christ,
I am writing you today to talk about upcoming changes to our Covid protocols. As you have likely heard, the state will be removing the mask mandate on March 12th in response to the continuing good news regarding Covid cases and hospitalizations across the state. As of today, Lane County has moved into the low-risk category according to the CDC guidelines and we continue to see the seven-day average of cases drop. These improvements do not mean that the Covid pandemic is over. Whether this is a new normal or a calm between storms, we do not yet know.
The changes in state requirements also do not mean that masks are coming off everywhere. What this means is that most organizations can now decide their own safety protocols based on what makes sense for their particular situations. Some places, including health care facilities and most forms of public transportation, will still have mandatory mask requirements. The Vestry met this past week to decide how we would proceed as a parish. This is a “for the time being” plan. We will review it at our next meeting, and make adjustments as necessary.
Before outlining the plan, a few important pieces of background. First, we are not of one mind on masking at St. Mary’s as we move into this next stage of the pandemic. Some have expressed joy that the mandate is going away and are ready to remove their masks. Others have expressed concern and would like for everyone to keep them on for a while longer. And still others have expressed uncertainty about what this next stage should look like or how to even feel about it. Second, we must remember that we have people within our community who are at greater risk if they contract Covid, people for whom the vaccine is less effective, and people who are not yet eligible for the vaccine because they are too young. A vaccine for the under-5s is expected in a few months, but it is not here yet. As followers of Jesus, we have a commitment to continue to be mindful of and care for the most vulnerable.
Most spaces in Lane County will soon become mask optional, but we want to continue to hold space for those who need the extra layer of protection by having those around them mask in addition to masking themselves. Therefore, we will continue to require masks at the 9:30 AM service* and its activities (Sunday School, Nursery, Joyful Noise Choir). Why this service? This is the service that has the most congregants (larger gatherings are higher risk than smaller gatherings) and the most parishioners who are ineligible for the vaccine (the under-5s). At other services, it will be your choice if you would like to remove your mask. For community groups and St. Mary’s groups gathering in person, it will be a decision for your group to make whether to require masks or make them optional based on the needs and situation of the group. I encourage you to talk with your group leaders about that decision.
One of the ways to think about Covid safety is not in binary “safe/not safe” ways, but in terms of layers of protection. Even in mask optional gatherings at St. Mary’s, we strive for multiple layers of protection; the mask-required gatherings add another valuable layer. What are these layers? Vaccination is the most effective layer of protection for yourself and for others. Almost everyone at St. Mary’s who is eligible is vaccinated. If you are not yet boosted, I highly encourage you to get that booster shot, if not for yourself, then for others. Another good layer is ventilation. With the newly installed ventilation system, the air in the church and chapel is regularly being removed and new, fresh outside air is being brought in. We also have air purifiers in other spaces and continue to open doors and windows in many situations. With spring coming, hopefully more can happen outside. Keeping distance is another good layer of protection and we ask you to please respect others’ need for extra space at this time and continue to physically distance. In the chapel, some pews are taped off to provide extra assistance in helping maintain that physical distance. And finally, masks remain a very good layer, especially high quality N95s, KN95s, and KF94s. We have learned a lot about masking over the past two years, including the effectiveness of these three types of masks to not only protect others, but to protect the wearer. Cloth masking is really only effective in universal masking situations; for individual protection, these three types of masks are the most effective to keep the wearer protected. If you choose to attend a mask optional service or activity, please know you are more than welcome to wear a mask. If you wear a mask, we highly encourage you to wear an N95, KN95, or KF94. In doing so, you are offering another layer of protection to yourself and others.
In our work, Ryan+ and I interact with many people, greatly increasing the odds that we will come into contact with Covid. As part of our pastoral care work, Ryan+ and I regularly go into situations with vulnerable people, meaning that if we contract Covid, we are good candidates to be carriers of Covid to high-risk individuals. This has been one of our primary concerns from the beginning of the pandemic – not concern personally that we would get Covid, but concern that we would carry it to others who are at high risk. Therefore, Ryan+ and I plan to continue wearing our masks regularly. For the time being, at the mask optional services, the two of us will only remove our masks for the sermon and the announcements to help with accessibility. It is harder to hear us when we wear masks, and those are the two parts of the service that people cannot read along with the insert or the prayer book. Like everyone, we will be figuring this out as we go along.
For those who are not yet comfortable returning to in-person public worship, please know that all of our current online options remain. Additionally, Ryan+ and I remain available for Eucharistic visits. We can plan with you the best protocols for your individual situation to keep you safe. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you would like us to bring you communion.
As mentioned earlier, the Vestry will be reviewing this policy at their next meeting. Please do not hesitate to reach out with questions or feedback.
Finally, please remember that this is a transition period. We will probably make some mistakes and there will be some compromises that will not be perfect for everyone. In the big picture, this will be a short-lived time. No pandemic lasts forever. They never have. We will see the other side of this. Keep the faith. God is faithful to us.
Lenten Blessings and Peace,
Bingham Powell+
Rector, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
*(Note: After the publishing of this letter, the following change was made to the 9:30 AM service. The preacher will remove their mask for the sake of accessibility, so that those with difficulty hearing can better understand what is being said in this important part of the service that cannot be read along with.)
