Local churches begin resuming Sunday services
MONTEREY >> Slowly, carefully, pews are starting to fill again as congregations begin returning for live services, but they will look nothing like what they did before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
The Diocese of Monterey will be opening 11 churches in Monterey County for live services this weekend. Bishop Daniel Garcia explained to parishioners in a detailed video message that celebrating Mass will come with several precautions and requirements.
When each parishioner approaches the front door of the church, ushers will be standing by with hand sanitizer and possibly infrared thermometers. Additional ushers will direct people to the pews, where worshipers, except for families, will be required to sit 6 feet apart. Only every other pew will seat congregation members to ensure safe distancing.
“Remember, this new stage of reopening does not signal an end to the pandemic,” Garcia said.
He also encouraged people with underlying health conditions, those over 65 and anyone who has a concern about being around other people to stay home. Live stream liturgies will continue to be available to view from home.
Ushers will guide parishioners when taking communion by limiting the number of people who can rise out of the pews to ensure safe distancing. And as Monterey County health orders continue to stress, everyone must be wearing a face covering.
No more than 25% of the pews will be occupied or 100 people maximum, Garcia said.
Erika Yanez, a spokesperson for the diocese, encourages parishioners to view instructional videos on the diocese Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/ channel/UCDL7nLpfNYO6BXG3P9G1bSw. Information is also available at https://dioceseofmonterey. org/.
A list of which churches
will be providing live Masses is posted on the diocese website, and Yanez also recommended parishioners contact their churches for details. All priests have been provided with guidelines from the diocese.
Unity of Monterey Bay church will hold off reopening at least through the next couple of weeks. Senior Minister the Rev. Vicky Elder posted that “the church’s top priority remains the health and safety of everyone in the community.” She and associate minister Michelle Jelinch continue to confer with the church’s Leadership Council to figure out its next steps.
The church will be taking into account the guidelines of state and county health departments, as well as best-practices developed by other spiritual communities.
“When the time comes that we are actually considering a specific date to reopen we will also be asking for (member) feedback to help guide our decisions,” Elder wrote. “While I don’t want to speculate on when or how we will be able to reopen our church doors, we have decided to exclusively continue virtual services at least through the month of June.”
The delay will allow the church time to gauge the effects of Monterey County’s move to reopen facilities, particularly in light of tourists returning to the area “and then develop our plans accordingly.”
Up on Garden Road in Monterey, Shoreline Church will be offering two live outdoor services on Sunday. Lead Pastor Kevin Harney in a letter to parishioners said the services will be held in the church’s courtyard with several guidelines that worshipers need to follow.
Members of the congregation will need to go online and register so the church can provide safe distancing between people as well as the appropriate number of seats. State and county protocols will be in place and the church will require that attendees wear face coverings as they arrive and leave the seating area.
However individual churches approach reopening, the only thing certain is that no one in anyone’s memory can recall anything near the magnitude of the pandemic today.
“It is a time of difficulty and challenge,” the diocese’s Garcia said. “Let us continue to pray for one another and our broken world.”