Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis
REOPENING GUIDELINES | VERSION 2, JUNE 3, 2020
Notes
Christ Church Cathedral has made the decision not to return to in-person worship at this time. This decision will be re-evaluated by the Regathering Team when the next version of this guidance is issued, but the decision will not likely change until larger groups can gather or until key restrictions are lifted, such as the prohibition on singing.
There is a wide spectrum of willingness among parish members to return to in-person worship at this time. Therefore, the Regathering Team sponsored two Town Hall meetings on June 14th to solicit input from the wider congregation. These are some of the most important reasons given for choosing not to return until the guidance changes:
o Too much effort is required to admit only about 15 attendees
o Church is not church without singing, embracing, the Eucharist, etc.
o People with children could not guarantee that masks would always be worn correctly
o The system of making reservations and rotating who attends service could lead to arguments or resentment
o Knowing that some people cannot come back now and meeting without the whole body of Christ does not feel right
o Many people have to work and cannot afford the risk of getting sick by coming to church
– The nave will not be open for public use during the week.
– Weekday offices will be offered online only.
– The Parish Hall and Godly Playroom may be offered to Recovery Group programs with 25 or fewer attendees at the discretion of the Dean and Rector on a case-by-case basis even though we will not gather for group worship. These will be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays to give the building 24 hours of rest between groups. Attendees will be required to follow the safety protocols outlined in this document for in-person worship, such as wearing masks, social distancing, washing hands upon entry, meeting without refreshments, etc. Refer to the question on small groups for more details.
– Outdoor services were considered but proved problematic because of the Cathedral’s limited space and inability to control passersby on the sidewalk.
– Offertory: There are already many different ways to donate and keep up with pledge commitments electronically, as well as receiving mailed-in payments.
– The Cathedral’s feeding ministry for the downtown community on Sundays at 7:00 AM will continue during this period of non-gathering. Food is pre-packed is a safe manner, and interaction with meal recipients is carried out on the lawn.
– Utility assistance programs will continue to be conducted virtually.
-Summer programming and mission trips have been canceled for 2020.