ELCA Resource Addresses 'Worship in Times of Public Health Concerns'

ELCA News Service ^ | 2 November AD 2009 | Staff

[lightman]

ELCA Resource Addresses 'Worship in Times of Public Health Concerns'

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The declaration of a national emergency has raised a number of questions across the United States about safely assembling for school and worship during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Worship and Liturgical Resources answered many of those questions in a resource titled "Worship in Times of Public Health Concerns."

U.S. President Barack Obama signed an Oct. 24 proclamation that "the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic in the United States constitutes a national emergency." The U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services had declared a public health emergency three times since April 26 in response to the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus.

ELCA Worship and Liturgical Resources, part of the church's Office of the Presiding Bishop, issued the resource in April, shortly after the first declaration of an emergency.

"In times of anxiety about the spread of such pathogens as influenza, churches are advised to follow the advice of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) with regard to gatherings of people," the resource notes.

"At this time, it is not necessary to cancel worship services or stop gathering around the means of grace. However, worship leaders should take some time to be well informed of the situation in their local areas and to examine worship practices with regard to the spread of pathogens, perhaps making small changes that will help alleviate the anxiety of the gathered assembly," it advised.

Some of those changes could include making alcohol-based hand sanitizers available during worship, altering the "passing of the peace" practice and being creative in the distribution of elements in the Lord's Supper.

The resource recommended against intinction -- the administration of the sacrament by communicants dipping the bread into the wine -- in favor of communicants drinking from a common cup.

"Keep in mind that our hands carry more pathogens than our mouths. Use of the common cup is preferable to intinction, especially if sacramental wine with a higher alcohol content is used. Sacramental wine has an alcohol content of 18 percent and has antiseptic qualities," it counseled.

The resource concluded that worship may become an essential response to a pandemic. "During this time of anxiety around a new form of influenza, the Sunday assembly of Christians around word and sacrament is a particularly important sign of resurrection hope in the midst of fear and trouble."

-- -- -- The resource, "Worship in Times of Public Health Concerns," is linked to http://www.ELCA.org/Worship on the ELCA Web site.

For information contact:

John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news

ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog

[lightman]

The resource recommended against intinction -- the administration of the sacrament by communicants dipping the bread into the wine -- in favor of communicants drinking from a common cup

About time--intinction seems to have become the default method of Communion in ELCA congregations.

Call me a Fundamentalist if you like, but I believe that Jesus said "take and eat" and "take and drink" not "take and dunk".

And with Luther and Melanchthon I believe that what we take and receive are that what Jesus says they are: His Body and Blood.

"Is" means IS.

[lightman]

Lutheran Ping!

[ConservativeMind]

Why would anyone admit to going to the liberal wing of the Lutheran church?

[Charlemagne on the Fox]

"Is" means IS.

"Talkin' like a book, mate!"

[javachip]

Why would anyone admit to going to the liberal wing of the Lutheran church?

Since you've asked - I belong to and attend an ELCA congregation. I considered leaving, but opted to stay. Why? Quite simply, I feel called to stay. I've been teaching jr. high Sunday School for over ten years now. Most years, there are two or three teachers but not this time. Jr. high classes at my church have been putting up with me teaching the 10 commandments, the creed and the Lord's Prayer for over a decade. This year's class will get those lessons too; it's going to take more than a Churchwide Assembly vote to get them off the hook.

Maybe this will be my last year with the ELCA, maybe not. I'll keep praying and try to follow where God wants me.

One thing I do know. With God's help, by the end of this year, those kids will know the commandments better than at least 2/3 of the people who attended the ELCA Churchwide Assembly.

[PhilCollins]

In April 2008, I left the ELCA and joined a Missouri Synod church. My dad, a retired ELCA pastor who joined a Missouri Synod church, told me that, in Mar. ‘08, the ELCA Taskforce on Sexuality reccommended that the ELCA never ordain gays or hold gay weddings. I thought that was great news, since I thought that the committee finally read the Bible verses that mention homosexuality. In Nov. ‘08, I joined an ELCA church that my then-fiance (now wife) liked because she knew some of the members. I’m still surprised that, in Aug., 2/3 of the delegates ignored the Bible and the taskforce reccommendation.