The Ecumenical Consultation on Protocols for Worship, Fellowship, and Sacraments


Mission of the project

To conduct a consultation of public health experts, pastors, theologians, liturgical scholars, and ecclesial leaders to develop medically sound and theologically informed recommendations for in person worship, sacramental practice, and fellowship in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Image Credit: https://www.scientificanimations.com / CC BY-SA 4.0

CURRENT CORE RESOURCES

August 10, 2021: Medidas preventivas para el culto y la vida sacramental en una persistente pandemia
June 8, 2021: Care-Filled Worship and Sacramental Life in a Lingering Pandemic
Latest guidance from the Consultation reflecting most recent changes in CDC recommendations

UPDATED SEASONAL GUIDANCE FOR 2021-2022
November 30, 2021: Statement about Guidance for Advent 2021
While we had planned to provide updated guidance for Advent and Christmastide, the rise of the Omicron Variant and the significant
uncertainty that remains about it has led us not to release new guidance for Advent at this time. As we all learn more about this variant in the coming days, we hope to release updated guidance for Christmastide in the coming weeks.


We support CDC guidance that calls for the use of masks by all people in indoor settings and where physical distancing is not possible outdoors.


We continue our guidance that masks be worn by all when singing outdoors.

And we encourage finding alternatives to indoor gatherings where positivity rate is above 10% or ICU usage in local areas is at or above 85%, as is beginning to happen again in some parts of the United States.

October 21, 2021: 2021 Guidance for All Saints and Related Observances

ENGLISH WORKING GROUP:
Organizing Meeting for other resources (video of October 6 meeting)
Draft Guidance for All Saints, All Souls, Halloween and related observances
CDC Guidance for Thanksgiving
Guidance for Gatherings Outdoors
Guidance for Advent and Christmas (Now includes Kwanzaa, Watch Night, and more)
NEW Guidance for Ash Wednesday
NEW Guidance for Holy Week
NEW CDC Guidance for Faith Communities (February 19, 2021)

These resources and the 2021 Updated Core Guidance documents (English and Spanish) are developed with the generous support of Consultation partners, The Calvin Institute for Christian Worship (https://worship.calvin.edu), Emory University/Candler School of Theology (http://candler.emory.edu), The Liturgical Conference (https://liturgicalconference.org), and the Styberg Preaching Institute (https://www.garrett.edu/styberg).

An Update on Congregational Singing from The Hymn Society (Brian Hehn, Center for Congregational Song) September 2, 2020

Park, Porch, and Sidewalk Sings (From Marcia McFee and the Center for Congregational Song)

Expressing Lament and Hope in Covenant Services 2021 (A United Methodist Resource from Mark Stamm)

Backgrounder Series: Starting with background for Kwanzaa, Angel Tree Programs, and Watch Night in the Black Church Traditions

NEW: COVID-19 Vaccine Facts for the Black Community

How We Got Here...

Briefs

Preliminary briefs from participants on a variety of topics

Webinar 1 Briefs

Webinar 2 Briefs

Webinar 3 Briefs

Webinar 1: Safe entry, presence, and exit

Seeking convergence across disciplines and denominations on how to make entry, seating, and departure from indoor worship spaces both Christian and safe.

View on Facebook Live
May 12, 10 am-1:30 ET


Photo by Mike DuBose, United Methodist News

Webinar 2: Safe Rites

Seeking convergence or descriptions of difference on when and how rites involving personal contact may be handled safely and in theologically sound ways: sacraments, healing, funerals, weddings, and the like

View on Facebook Live
May 19, 10 am-1:30 ET


From PublicDomainPictures.net

Webinar 3: Safe Practices

Seeking convergence on practices typical of Christian worship, such as singing, unison prayers or confessions, and care for children and infants in or alongside worship.

View on Facebook Live
May 26, 10 am-1:30 ET

Webinar 4: Finalizing Our Primary Document

Consultation conveners have collated the briefs into a single draft. Now it's time to get feedback on how well this is received across our diverse consultation partners. Our goal is publication of a finalized document, taking informed by this feedback, by June 8.

View on Facebook Live
June 2, 10 am-11:30 am ET

External Resource:
Prayer During a Pandemic

A prayer we used in our second-level organizing meeting for the Spanish Language Resources project.

Questions?

Contact worshipsafely@gmail.com to get more information on the project