NASSAU| Anglican Bishop Laish Zane Boyd has released from Addington House this morning new changes to practices in its worship exercises amidst COVID 19 concerns.
Calling on the faithful to pray for healing, resolution, and resumption of normalcy in these most difficult times the senior cleric wrote: “…. the UNPREDICTABILITY and UNQUANTIFIABILITY of the virus. Many in the scientific community are saying that this is a new virus that we do not know much about. It has high virulence (aggressiveness) and that can potentiate serious diseases like cancer.
“We note the discomfort that it causes, the fear and panic that exists in some places, and the hysteria that could erupt so easily. This matter is SERIOUS and must be taken SERIOUSLY, and every precaution must be taken.
“Therefore I make the following update to existing TEMPORARY measures:
1. We suspend the use of the common cup immediately. The faithful are to receive Holy Communion in one kind, i.e., the Body only, in the hands. The Church’s teaching is that the whole Christ is received whether one receives only the consecrated bread or both Body and Blood. The celebrant alone should drink from the cup.
2. Handshaking and hugging should cease for the time being, at the Greeting of Peace, or as you enter or leave the church, and at other times.
3. Holy water stoops should be emptied and not used until further notice. Place hand sanitizer there instead.
4. Baptism will no longer be done in common water in the font. Each individual will be baptized in separate water in the font, poured from a container over the candidate and into the font.
5. The Mothering Sunday Service and Procession will not take place. Each parish should have their own observance in house, in some form. Please try to make it as special and as youth-centered as possible.
A Full text of the Bishop’s communication to all churches is listed below and is expected to be shared and read to the faithful this coming Sunday March 15th.
We report yinner decide!
