Letter from the General Secretary - Updated Roadmap for Reopening Churches (17 June 20)

Dear Ministers, Pastors and Church Council Members,

17 June 2020

Content:

Updated Roadmap to re-open Churches

As we continue to respond to the challenges of being Church in the context of COVID-19, I wish to extend greetings from the Synod Office, the Crisis Management Team and all who seek to support and resource congregations in their ministry and mission. It was a great joy for me to travel over the weekend with the Moderator as we visited congregations in the Mid North of South Australia. It was great sharing with church members, hearing about the creative ways they are managing the restrictions and how they continue to prepare for the changes ahead.

As you know the SA Government made some significant announcements last Friday 12 June regarding the Roadmap for Easing COVID-19 Restrictions. Yesterday (Tuesday 16 June) there were further announcements regarding our state borders.

The announcements continue to increase the numbers of people able to participate in social and religious activity. However, regardless of the numbers and the nature of the activity, there continue to be four major criteria we need to follow at all times:

4 sqm per person in any space
1.5 m physical distancing
Strict hygiene particularly in relation to hands and hard surfaces
A requirement for everyone to sign in and sign out of events and activities

UPDATED ROADMAP TO RE-OPEN CHURCHES (17 June 20)

We are discovering that as congregations begin to gather for worship, for meetings, and to complete the COVID-Safe Plan in order to reopen buildings and commence missional activities, there have been some particular challenges. People, friends, who have been in isolation and unable to gather together for some time, may find it hard to exercise physical distancing. They want to greet each other with a hug and linger in entrance halls and doorways to chat. It is hard to keep up the cleaning of bathrooms and other wet areas and there remains a lack of clarity about whether we can organise activities with children.

All these challenges encourage us to move cautiously and with wisdom and care. We encourage you to continue the great work being done, but not to rush into restoring activities that are hard to manage or may put people at risk.

If you continue to have questions, please contact your Presbytery or email your questions to Rev Sue Page and we will try to respond as soon as we can.

May God continue to bless you and your families, your ministries and your mission.