LATEST UPDATE FROM THE BISHOP REGARDING COVID, DATED MAY 9, 2023:  

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that COVID-19 no longer represents a "global health emergency." Likewise, there are no State or County restrictions. I generally now leave it up to each congregation to discern local practices regarding reception of Holy Communion and other fellowship activities. There is currently no set Diocesan policy in force about worship in relation to the pandemic. 

I do assume that our congregations have returned to the use of a common cup and that no congregation uses small individual cups to administer the Sacrament. A large common cup (chalice) is an important symbol of our unity in Christ.  The use of small individual cups is not part of the practice or tradition of the Episcopal Church.  Such practice should generally be avoided.

The Episcopal Church teaches the efficacy of receiving the Sacrament in one kind (the bread and/or the wine) when necessary for reasons of personal health or well-being, or because of personal piety and practice. There may also be times when, for communal health or well-being, receiving the Sacrament in one kind is appropriate. These are special (and hopefully rare) cases, and communication with the bishop is a prerequisite of a priest making this decision for their entire congregation. 
READ FULL MESSAGE HERE
Some of the information below is now outdated and is being kept strictly for informational purposes in the event it needs to be reactivated in the future. 

STAYING INFORMED DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

​In light of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, we, as a Diocese, should do everything we can to remain healthy and prevent the potential spread of contagions, that includes heightened hygiene practices, wearing a face mask in public, and social distancing.  On this page, we will post the latest updates concerning The Episcopal Church and our Diocese, including changes to events and activities, online worship resources, and communication tools to help congregations during this time.
May 25, 2020
​Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick expresses his gratitude to all in the Diocese as churches begin a return to in-person public worship.
May 22, 2020 - Special Announcement from the Bishop: RETURNING TO PUBLIC IN-PERSON WORSHIP
​Click ​​HERE to read his message.

Returning to In-person Worship During the Pandemic:

On May 22, 2020. Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick announced the ability for churches to return to in-person worship in accordance with County guidelines (E-News 5/22/2020).  He also released a document from the Diocese entitled a "Customary in the time of Pandemic" with detailed guidelines on the opening and care of our church spaces.  This Customary is being updated regularly. To view the latest version, click below.).
​While churches are able to return to in-person worship, most are also continuing with online worship to accommodate those who are not yet comfortable attending services, especially our kupuna or those with underlying health issues.  There may also be seating limitations due to social distancing guidelines, so online services are an especially important option for those who are unable to attend.  Churches offering online services are shown below.

​ONLINE WORSHIP WITH OUR CLERGY:

The pandemic has limited our ability to worship in-person safely in some of our communities. To answer the call, many churches in the Diocese are now offering online worship opportunities both live streamed and/or posted on their websites/social media pages for viewing at your convenience.  Click on the button above to go to our Online Worship page with a listing of churches offering online worship, and direct links to their viewing sites.

Diocesan flyers for these times... share the love!

Feel free to use these flyers in your communications and share the love!
WHEN OUR DOORS CLOSE:
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JPEG File

SHARE GOD'S LOVE:
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JPEG File

Worship Resources & Options:

With public worship and gatherings in our churches temporarily suspended, the Bishop has asked the clergy of our Diocese to share  worship tools and resources so that people can continue to grow in their spiritual lives in the comfort of their homes.  The following are some of the many resources and options available, some created especially for this challenging time:
ONLINE & DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES
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THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH WORSHIP RESOURCES - The Episcopal Church has a wealth of worship resources on their website HERE. You will find links to guides, podcasts, programs, reflections, seasonal guides and more.
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COVID-19: 100 IDEAS FOR MINISTERS AND MINISTRY LEADERS - Tracy Smith shares ideas during this time that includes using online communication apps, simple and fun activities, faith practices and event outreach ideas.  Click HERE.
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FAITH AT HOME - Lectionary based readings and reflections to read online or download. They will be publishing things daily for this season. Click HERE.
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FORWARD MOVEMENT: BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER - Forward Movement is making available an easy-to-navigate PDF version of the Book of Common Prayer, and other free resources for devotional use.  Click HERE to view or download. The BCP is also available online HERE.
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FORWARD MOVEMENT: PRAYERS FOR "SPIRITUAL COMMUNION" - In these challenging times, many people may find themselves unable to receive Holy Communion physically due to illness or suspended worship gatherings. Forward Movement is pleased to offer a venerable resource from the Saint Augustine’s Prayer Book (Forward Movement, 2014) for use. Click HERE.
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IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY: THE DAILY EXAMEN - The Daily Examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and discern his direction for us. The Bishop highly recommends this practice that is very important to him.  Click HERE.
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ILLUSTRATED MINISTRY - Free resources for all ages, meant to help support churches with formation at home during this time.  Click HERE.
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MISSION ST. CLARE WEBSITE - ​The Bishop recommends this site for Morning and Evening Prayer at home. Click HERE to go there now.
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PRAY AS YOU GO - Pray As You Go is a daily prayer session, designed to go with you wherever you go, with reflection and prayer tools. Click HERE.
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PRAYER HAVEN - For personal or group use, this site allows you to chose between Morning, Noonday, Evening, and Compline Prayer services from the Book of Common Prayer.  Click HERE.
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PRAYING IN COLOR - Do you want to pray but words escape you? Or perhaps sitting still and staying focused in prayer are a challenge. Perhaps you need a new way to pray!  Praying in Color is a visual concrete way to pray. Click HERE.
For Children & Youth:
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BRAIN POP - A website with tons of resources and activities to help kids understand their world.  There is a new section about the Coronavirus HERE.
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CANDLE WALK: A BEDTIME PRAYER TO GOD - From Church Publishing, a beautifully illustrated book that can be read online which leads up to and ends with the evening liturgy of compline. Click HERE to begin reading it!
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CHRISTINE V, HIDES - A website chock full of childrenʻs resources with a new section, Childrenʻs Ministry During COVID-19 HERE.
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GODLY PLAY: SHARING BIBLE STORIES AT HOME - Charissa Simmons welcomes you to YouTube Godly Play!  While we are unable to meet together in person, we can still keep sharing the stories your children hear in Godly Play each week, and now you can join too! Click HERE.
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JUST FOR KIDS: A COMIC BOOK EXPLORING THE NEW CORONAVIRUS - Based on a radio story that NPR education reporter Cory Turner did asking some experts what kids might want to know about the new coronavirus discovered in China. Print and fold it out!  Click HERE.
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TUCKED IN: BEDTIME STORIES & PRAYERS WITH EPISCOPALIANS AND OTHERS - Each Wednesday evening, and occasional Mondays, different storytellers read Bible stories and short bedtime prayers through Facebook Live.  The stories are recorded and available for viewing at any time.  Click HERE.
Other resources & links for these times:
COMMUNION UNDER SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES - Fr. Gregory Johnson shares this worship alternative for those who are unable to partake of the Blessed Sacrament due to sickness, disability, disaster, quarantine or family emergencies.

ONLINE GROUP AA MEETINGS - Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Group online is a growing community of motivated individuals who will support and inspire you along your journey. We are here to help. Post this flyer on church facilities, especially where recovery groups meet.

GUIDELINES TO OUTREACH MINISTRIES
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WENDY CLAIRE: FAITHFUL PARENTING IN A PANDEMIC - From Wendy Claire Barrieʻs Faithat Home blog: ​Right now, “the hardest thing for teenagers is that they’re not allowed to be together,” notes Barrie, whose son is 17.  ​

​GROW CHRISTIANS PARENTING BLOG - This blog page is brought to you by Forward Movement, a ministry of The Episcopal Church that seeks to inspire disciples and empower evangelists. ​

​​PANDEMIC - Written by Lynn Ungar, a poignant poem for our times.  Download:  JPEG file or PDF file

Communicating During the COVID-19 Shutdowns

Thanks to technology, we may be physically isolated from each other but not socially.  Our churches and their ministries can continue to function in creative ways with the use of online communication tools.  Churches should be sure to keep their websites and social media pages up-to-date, and make sure all congregants are receiving regular newsletters and updates.  Listed below are a few options for churches to explore in order to continue the good work they are doing in their ministries.

Click HERE to read the latest Communications release (3/17/20):  Staying Connected During COVID-19
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ZOOM VIDEO CONFERENCING
This is the Dioceseʻs platform of choice when communicating with a group requiring interaction and discussion. Itʻs a great way for people to hold meetings, conduct Bible Study, or pray together. The monthly governance meetings have been using Zoom for a while and our Spring Training (Education Day) will be going online using Zoom!

Not only is it a convenient tool, but video conferencing saves time and money! Users can connect through a cell phone, tablet or computer. A quick download of the app, a link shared by the host, and you are set to go! Visit the Zoom website HERE to learn more. They also offer free training sessions online HERE.

Test it out with their free plan, that allows up to 40 minutes of unlimited conferences up to 100 people. At $14.99 a month, you can have unlimited conference sessions with no time limit! 
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LIVESTREAMING ON FACEBOOK
Clergy can easily post their sermons or full services, through Facebook Live. It is a live video streaming service that lets anyone broadcast from their mobile devices straight to their Facebook News Feed.  In addition to weekly sermons, think about offering a daily Lenten meditation or Morning Prayer online. You may be very surprised at the reach you have when it is posted on Facebook. Not only is this option free, but super simple too! All you need is a cell phone, a tripod, and your churchʻs Facebook page!

Folks can tune into the livestream by going to your page at a certain time, and remember to let your congregants know either through through email notification (newsletter) or online post. Be sure to record your session too (just a simple setting swipe) and post the link on your website so that members can view it at any time. This can also be applied to workshops and seminars. The Diocese of San Diego has a great instructional video on how to set it up in 4 simple steps HERE, or go the Facebook Live guide HERE.
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GROUP FACETIME CHATS
​For those with iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch, you can chat with 30+ people at the same time. iPhones earlier than iPhone 6 can join by audio only. Click HERE to learn more.
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SOCIAL MEDIA
If your church doesnʻt already have a social media presence, now may be the perfect time to do so and encourage your members to follow it. Itʻs an easy and effective way to stay connected regularly, and best of all, itʻs FREE!

There are a number of churches that have Facebook pages, but they are not active or rarely used. Consider reactivating it. Itʻs a great way to share posts from other sources too. Assign two or three Administrators to help share the responsibility of posting. One can post church notices or worship info while another could post pictures and updates of activities. Of course the priest should be able to post sermons, inspirational thoughts and memes, and words of wisdom as often and necessary as possible! Visit the Diocesan website Communications Social Media page HERE for more info on some of the most popular social media platforms.
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