An impressive set of resources has been compiled by the Presbyterian Church PC(USA) to offer guidance during the Coronavirus pandemic. These resources include worship, issues regarding resumption of in-person services, utilization of technology and how to provide support to the community.
The links shown are not necessarily specific to the denomination. They draw from a large number of sources. Many of these links should prove useful for church leaders, regardless of denomination.
Category: Singing
The Christian County Health Department has advised anybody who attended events at James River Church to monitor themselves for Covid symptoms for 14 days.
James River Church responded Monday to complaints after social media images show little social distancing and few masks at its Christmas celebrations over the weekend.
Sources: James River Church responds to complaints about crowded, unmasked Christmas services
Every December for over a century, there has been a performance of The Messiah at First Mennonite Church in Berne, Indiana. The 2020 performance was significantly different than prior years.
First, the concert was given online only, with no audience present.
Second, the choir was limited in size and spread around where the audience would have been.
Third, the performance was shortened, curtailing most of the second half of The Messiah, but of course The Hallelujah Chorus was included.
Watch it by clicking below.
The Messiah – Berne, Indiana 2020
While Australia is an island (a very large continent-island) they have demonstrated that it is possible to contain covid. They are using measures that are very familiar to all of us: wearing masks, social distancing, contact tracing.
Australia’s most populous state said that from Monday it would remove limits on the number of people at weddings, bars and religious services and end a ban on public venue dancing as a run of coronavirus-free days prompted a broad downgrade of social distancing rules.
Though Australia has reported some new coronavirus cases in returned travellers in quarantine, the country has largely stopped community transmission of the virus with contact tracing, distancing measures and mandatory mask-wearing.
Source: COVID-free for days, Australian state resumes singing, dancing, religious services
We have all heard about the role of surfaces, aerosols and droplets in the spread of COVID. Singing is believed to propel droplets beyond the typical 6 ft. social distancing standard. Dr. Heather Nelson is a vocologist (with a PhD in that field.) Her blog reviews research and adds her explanations and commentary.