• The wine is to be offered in a metal chalice, with the person administering the chalice using a purificator to wipe the brim after each person drinks from it, and then rotating the chalice a quarter-turn before the next person receives the wine. Scientific research demonstrates that by following this age-old method, the risk of transmitting a virus by a shared chalice is extremely low. To date there is no documented evidence of disease transmission through the common cup.
  
  
• Intinction (communicants dipping the bread into the chalice) is highly unhygienic and is prohibited. Communicants who are uncomfortable with receiving wine from the common cup can be assured that the fullness of the sacrament of holy communion can be received in each of the elements of bread or wine, and so may receive communion in the form of the bready only. Similarly, someone who is gluten intolerant may also receive holy communion in the form of the wine only.

The Quebec government recently presented a timeline for the gradual relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions in various sectors of society, including places of worship. Below is how that timeline applies to the churches of the Diocese of Quebec. The government has cautioned that it could modify this schedule with relatively little notice, depending on how the epidemiological situation develops.

AS OF FEBRUARY 21:

ATTENDANCE: Attendance for all services (including funerals and weddings) is restricted to 50% of a church building’s capacity, up to a maximum of 500 people. Masks must be worn, a distance of one metre maintained between households, and hand sanitizer made available. Vaccination passports are no longer required.

FUNERALS: If next of kin receive condolences in the church prior to a funeral, no more than 50 people should be present in the church at one time. During the funeral, attendance is restricted to 50% of the building’s capacity, up to a maximum of 500 people, not including clergy, musicians, assistants, and funeral home personnel.

SINGING: Congregations may continue to sing if masked. Choirs remain permitted, so long as the members of the choir wear procedural masks while singing and they remain two metres apart from each other and the congregation. However, if all members of the choir voluntarily choose to present their vaccination passports, the distance can be reduced to one metre and masks can be removed while singing.

COFFEE HOUR: Coffee hours and fellowship time after services may resume, so long as masks are worn when not eating or drinking.

VESTRY MEETINGS: In-person annual vestry meetings may take place. Attendance is restricted to 50% of the room’s maximum capacity. Masks must be worn and physical distancing (one metre) observed.

HALL RENTALS: Hall rentals may resume. A maximum of 50 people is permitted, and verification of the vaccination passport is required.

AS OF FEBRUARY 28:

ATTENDANCE: Churches may return to full capacity, with no limits on attendance and no vaccination passport requirement. Masks must continue to be worn and physical distancing (one metre) observed.

AS OF MARCH 14:

HALL RENTALS: Hall rentals may continue, with the number of people permitted raised to the building’s usual maximum capacity if vaccination passports are required. Without vaccination passports, a maximum of 20 people may attend an activity. This should be made clear those renting a hall, since it will be their responsibility to ensure that the vaccination passport provisions are respected.

It is possible that some of these measures—particularly the application of vaccination passports to hall rentals—will be further relaxed by the provincial government in the coming days. If so, an updated memo will be issued. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to be in touch with me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton (esimonton@quebec.anglican.ca).

TO: Clergy, wardens, and lay readers
FROM: Bishop Bruce Myers

Last week the Quebec government announced that places of worship may reopen to in-person services as of February 7, under the following conditions, and until further notice:

INDOOR SERVICES: Attendance is restricted to 50% of a church building’s capacity, up to a maximum of 250 people. Masks must be worn at all times, a distance of one metre maintained between households, and hand sanitizer made available. Those attending services must have their vaccination passports verified at the door using the Quebec government’s VaxiCode Verif application, which is freely available for download at the Apple Store or Google Play. According to the government’s guidelines, paid staff (including musicians), volunteers required to assist with the service, and individuals who are homeless are not required to present a vaccination passport. A further exception has been made for funerals, which is detailed below. When possible, efforts should be made to provide access to the sacraments to unvaccinated individuals outside of church buildings.

FUNERALS & WEDDINGS: Funerals may proceed as outlined above. However, a funeral may be held without requiring vaccination passports if attendance is limited to 50 people (not including clergy, volunteers, and funeral home personnel), masks are worn and physical distancing observed. Weddings are subject to the same restrictions as for indoor services, including presentation of the vaccination passport.

SINGING: Congregations may sing if masked. Choirs are permitted, so long as the members of the choir wear procedural masks while singing and they remain two metres apart from each other and the congregation.

OUTDOOR SERVICES: Worship services (including funerals and weddings) may be held outdoors, so long as all participants remain at least one metre apart. Wearing masks is strongly encouraged. A maximum of 250 is permitted. Vaccination passports are not required.

COFFEE HOUR: In-person coffee hours and other fellowship gatherings after service are not permitted.

SUNDAY SCHOOL: Sunday school and other forms of Christian education can take place in person if participants wear masks, remain one metre apart, and (if over the age of 13) present a vaccination passport. The room used for any such gathering can only be used to 50% of its capacity.

HALL RENTALS: The rental of church halls is not permitted, including for receptions following funerals or weddings. An exception has been made for groups falling under the government’s “community organizations” category, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, soup kitchens, and food banks.

ANNUAL VESTRY MEETINGS: Public gatherings such as meetings are still not permitted under public health guidelines. It is therefore recommended that annual vestry meetings be delayed until the government’s restrictions on public gatherings are further relaxed.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to be in touch with me or with Archdeacon Edward Simonton (esimonton@quebec.anglican.ca).

Some elucidations have been received from Quebec’s public health authorities concerning the provincial government’s announcement on December 30 concerning COVID-19 restrictions for places of worship. Below is a summary of how they apply to churches in the Diocese of Quebec.

INDOOR SERVICES: In-person worship services held inside church buildings remain suspended until further notice. However, a small number of people is permitted inside a church building for the purposes of broadcasting or recording a liturgy, including a soloist but not a choir. Some exceptions have also been made for funerals, which are outlined below.

OUTDOOR SERVICES: Worship services may be held outdoors, so long as all participants are wearing masks and remain at least one metre apart. A maximum of 250 is permitted.

FUNERALS: If held indoors, a maximum of 25 people may attend a funeral, not including clergy, volunteers, or funeral home personnel. If next of kin are receiving condolences before the funeral, a maximum of 25 people is permitted in the church building at any given time. Vaccination passports are not required, but masks must be worn at all times and physical distancing observed. If held outdoors, a maximum of 250 may attend a funeral, but masks must be worn and a distance of at least one metre must be maintained between those attending.

WEDDINGS: Weddings should be postponed until indoor worship services may resume.

CURFEW: Emergency pastoral visits by licensed clergy and lay readers are permitted during curfew, so long as the individual making the emergency visit carries authorization that can be shown to law enforcement officers. If you require such a letter, please contact me directly at bmyers@quebec.anglican.ca.

ONLINE HOME PRAYERS: Home Prayers will continue to be offered on the diocesan Facebook page (@AnglicanQuebec) and over the telephone, returning during this lockdown period to 10:30 a.m. EST on Sundays.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to be in touch with me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton.

In response to the continued sharp rise of COVID-19 cases in Quebec, the provincial government has mandated a number of new restrictions. Below is a summary of the new public health guidelines with respect to churches in the Diocese of Quebec.

IN-PERSON SERVICES: As of 5:00 p.m. EST, in-person worship services (including outdoor services) are suspended until further notice. Some exceptions have been made for funerals and weddings, which are outlined below.

FUNERALS: If held indoors, a maximum of 25 people may attend a funeral, not including clergy, volunteers, or funeral home personnel. If next of kin are receiving condolences before the funeral, a maximum of 25 people is permitted in the church building at any given time. Vaccination passports are not required, but masks must be worn at all times and physical distancing observed. If held outdoors, a maximum of 250 may attend a funeral, but masks must be worn and a distance of at least one metre must be maintained between those attending.

WEDDINGS: Weddings may only be held outdoors, with a maximum of 250 people in attendance. Masks should be work and physical distancing respected. A reception may follow the wedding, but it must also be held outdoors and a maximum of 50 people may attend.

CURFEW: Emergency pastoral visits by licensed clergy and lay readers are permitted during curfew, so long as the individual making the emergency visit carries authorization that can be shown to law enforcement officers. If you require such a letter, please contact me directly at bmyers@quebec.anglican.ca.

ONLINE HOME PRAYERS: Home Prayers will continue to be offered on the diocesan Facebook page (@AnglicanQuebec) and over the telephone, returning during this lockdown period to 10:30 a.m. EST on Sundays.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to be in touch with me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton.

With the recent, rapid, and significant rise in COVID-19 cases in Quebec—and the virulency of the new Omicron variant—the provincial government has instituted new preventative measures that come into effect on December 20, and remain in effect until further notice. Some of these new guidelines directly affect places of worship. Below is a summary of the new and continuing public health guidelines with respect to churches.

VACCINATION PASSPORT: Everyone wishing to attend a service will need to present proof that they are adequately vaccinated or exempt from vaccination. This means that at least one person in each church will need to remain at the entrance of the church and use a smartphone or tablet to verify individuals’ government-issued QR codes using the VaxiCode Verif application, which is freely available for download in the Apple Store or Google Play. Individuals between the ages of 14 and 75 need to provide photo identification matching the name on their vaccination passport.

ATTENDANCE: The number of people permitted to attend a service (other than funerals and weddings) is restricted to 50% of the building’s usual capacity, to a maximum of 250 people. However, there are currently no church buildings in the diocese with a half-capacity of 250 people, and so the key figure for each congregation to calculate is what constitutes 50% of the worship space’s capacity. (Separate attendance guidelines for funerals and weddings are below.)

PHYSICAL DISTANCING: Individuals from different households should maintain a distance of at least one metre, including when seated.

MASKS: Masks must be worn by everyone at all times, except when receiving the eucharist. Readers, preachers, and presiders may also remove their masks while speaking, so long as they are at least two metres from the congregation.

SINGING: Hymns may be sung by the congregation if they wear masks while singing. Choirs and soloists may sing unmasked if the members are two metres apart from one another and at least two metres away from the congregation.

HOLY COMMUNION: The eucharist will continue to be distributed in one kind (i.e. bread only). To reduce movement about the church, and when practical, the presider should bring communion to people at their seats.

COFFEE/FELLOWSHIP HOUR: It is recommended that such gatherings after a service be suspended until the overall situation improves. However, if such gatherings do take place, a maximum of 10 people may participate. As before, food and beverages may only be shared if they are served to individuals at their seat and/or they are prepared in a self-contained box or wrapper ahead of time.

HALL RENTALS: With the exception of receptions following funerals or weddings, a maximum of 10 people (or the occupants of three different residences) are permitted to rent a hall for a private function. For receptions following a funeral or wedding, a maximum of 25 people may attend. Food and beverages may only be shared if they are served to individuals at their seat and/or they are prepared in a self-contained box or wrapper ahead of time.

FUNERALS & WEDDINGS: When a maximum of 25 people wish to attend a funeral or wedding, vaccination passports are not required. If more than 25 people are expected to attend a funeral or wedding, vaccination passports are required, and the maximum attendance rises to 50% of the building’s capacity. If condolences are received in the church building before a funeral, a maximum of 50 people should be in the building at any given time.

•

These added restrictions are unwelcome, I know, particularly as many of us are making final preparations for Christmas services. These new protocols, and the spike in COVID-19 cases that has prompted them, may cause some congregations to re-evaluate the prudence of holding in-person services in the coming days and weeks. As has been the case since the beginning of the pandemic, the Diocese of Quebec will continue to offer opportunities to pray and worship online and over the telephone.

I will not mask my significant unease with the Quebec government’s imposition of vaccination passports on places of worship, a decision made without any consultation of religious groups in the province. Our churches seek to be places of welcome for all people, turning away no one. Having the state require worshippers to present government documentation before being admitted to a church, synagogue, mosque, or temple is problematic. This is even more so when the government imposing this measure has already passed a law restricting certain kinds of religious expression in the public square. It will also be a logistical challenge in many of our small communities.

At the same time, I am conscious that we remain in the grip of a global pandemic—one that continues to put many lives at risk, and one whose end will only likely come when enough of us are adequately vaccinated. I therefore ask that this requirement be respected in our churches, in the hope that it will be temporary and contribute to the common good of our local communities and beyond.

I also again encourage everyone to get fully vaccinated and to get the recommended booster shot when it becomes available to you—not simply to fulfil a government requirement or to protect yourself, but as an act of love to those around you.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to be in touch with me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton.

Quebec’s public health authorities have recently made some adjustments to COVID-19 protocols for places of worship, which I’d like to bring to your attention.

MASKS: It is now required that masks be worn by everyone in church, even while seated. This return to a previous practice is in response to the arrival of autumn and more activities moving indoors, bringing with it the potential for a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases. Choir members may continue to sing without masks so long as they are at least two metres from each other and from the congregation. Presiders, readers, and intercessors may also speak without masks so long as they too are at least two metres from each other and the congregation.

REGISTERS: It is no longer required to keep a register of those attending services for the purposes of contact tracing. This also applies to weddings and funerals.

Other COVID-19 protocols that remain in place for places of worship are:

• Depending on the size of the church building, a maximum of 250 people is permitted to attend a service. This includes funerals and weddings. In smaller buildings the maximum number will be the number of people from different households who can be seated while maintaining a distance of one metre.
• If a church building is used for a viewing prior to a funeral, a maximum of 50 people is permitted at any given time.
• Congregational singing is permitted if masks are worn.
• Receptions held following funerals or weddings are limited to 25 people, and food and beverages may only be shared if they are served to individuals at their seat and/or they are prepared in a self-contained box or wrapper ahead of time.
• Fellowship time after services is permitted, but food and beverages must be served in the same manner as for receptions.

As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton.

TO: Clergy, wardens, lay readers, and lay pastoral visitors
FROM: Bishop Bruce Myers

There have been a number of recent enquiries about COVID-19 protocols with respect to funerals, so I thought it might be helpful to offer a reminder of the measures we’ve been asked to put in place by public health authorities:

ATTENDANCE: Depending on the size of the church building, a maximum of 250 people are permitted to attend a funeral. In smaller buildings the maximum number will be the number of people from different households who can be seated while maintaining a distance of two metres if the congregation will be singing. The distance reduces to one metre if the congregation will not be singing. For the receiving of condolences before a funeral, a maximum of 50 people, wearing masks, are permitted in the building at any given time. However, this number may be lower in smaller buildings so as to allow physical distancing.

SINGING: Hymns may be sung by the congregation if they wear masks while singing and individuals from different households are seated two metres apart. Choirs may sing unmasked if the members are two metres apart from one another and at least two metres away from the congregation.

MASKS: Masks must be worn by everyone while moving about in the church building. Individuals may remove their masks once seated in the congregation, unless they are singing. Readers and presiders may remove their masks while speaking, so long as they are at least two metres from the congregation.

REGISTER: A record of everyone attending the funeral, including contact information, must be kept for the purposes of contact tracing.

RECEPTIONS: Receptions may have a maximum of 25 people attend if held indoors, and a maximum of 50 people if held outdoors. Food and beverages can only be shared if they are served to individuals at their seat and/or they are prepared in a self-contained box or wrapper ahead of time.

As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton.

After choirs, I’m happy to report that it’s now the turn of congregations to have pandemic-related restrictions on singing relaxed by public health authorities.

Effective immediately, congregational singing may resume under the following conditions:

• Individuals from different households must be seated at least two metres apart;
• Individuals in the congregation must wear masks while singing.

Choirs are also permitted to sing under the following conditions:

• Masks are not required, but each singer must maintain a minimum distance of two metres from other people or be separated by a physical barrier (a full partition);
• After each service, the floor of the work area of each singer must be cleaned.

If desired, more than one individual may again read lessons or offer the prayers of intercession during a liturgy. However, it is still recommended that different individuals avoid using the same lectern and/or microphone.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton.

As the COVID-19 situation in Quebec continues to improve, public health officials have relaxed the restriction on choir singing in places of worship. That means that effective immediately, church choirs are able to resume singing under the following conditions:

• Masks are not required, but each singer must maintain a minimum distance of 2 metres from other people or be separated by a physical barrier (a full partition);
• After each service, the floor of the work area of each singer must be cleaned.

For the moment, these protocols apply only to choirs. Congregational singing remains prohibited, but the easing of these restrictions on choral music is an encouraging sign.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton.

TO:  Clergy, wardens, lay readers, and lay pastoral visitors
FROM:  Bishop Bruce Myers

The Quebec government has made a further revision to the COVID-19 protocols with respect to funerals or weddings being held in green zones. These are in effect as of June 28.

FUNERALS: Depending on the size of the church building, a maximum of 250 people are permitted to attend a funeral. In smaller buildings the maximum number will be the number of people from different households who can be seated while maintaining a distance of two metres. While seated they may remove their masks. For the receiving of condolences before a funeral, a maximum of 50 people, wearing masks, are permitted at any given time.

WEDDINGS: Depending on the size of the church building, a maximum of 250 people are permitted to attend a wedding. In smaller buildings the maximum number will be the number of people from different households who can be seated while maintaining a distance of two metres. While seated they may remove their masks.

As with regular church services, congregational and choir singing at funerals and weddings remains prohibited. However, soloists or duets are permitted, so long as they remain physically distanced from each other and the congregation.

As of this week, all of the Diocese of Quebec finds itself in either a yellow or green zone, with the whole of the province on track to move to green by month’s end. This means some modifications in the Quebec government’s COVID-19 guidelines for places of worship. In both yellow and green zones, the following protocols apply:

• For regular worship services, maximum attendance is 250 people or 50% of the building’s normal capacity, whichever number is smaller.
• Individuals from different households must maintain a distance of two metres.
• Masks must be worn, but can be removed once individuals are seated, so long as speaking is kept to a minimum.
• Congregational singing and choral music remain prohibited, but one or two cantors may sing so long as they are at least two metres from each other and from the congregation.
• If the eucharist is to be celebrated and/or distributed, only the bread is to be offered to members of the congregation, and the celebrant (wearing a mask) should bring communion to each individual at their place.
• Coffee and other beverages may be served after services, but serving oneself from a common urn, pot, or pitcher is not permitted. Rather a designated server must pour and otherwise prepare each beverage. Similarly, food can only be shared if it is served to individuals at their seat and/or it is prepared in a self-contained box or wrapper ahead of time. The maximum number of people permitted to participate in a post-service coffee hour are 25 if indoors, 50 if outdoors.
• Outdoor services are permitted, to a maximum of 250 participants, so long as physical distancing and the other protocols related to places of worship are respected. If an enclosure like a tent is used, the maximum number of participants is 50.
• Congregational meetings, such as vestry meetings, may take place, so long as physical distancing is respected, masks are worn except when speaking, and no snacks are provided.
• Funerals and weddings may have a maximum of 50 people in attendance, and a record of those in attendance must be kept for the purposes of contact tracing. In the case of funerals, condolences may be received in the church before the funeral, but no more than 50 people may be in the church building at any given time.

I remain grateful for your patience in respecting these guidelines, which I know must at times seem onerous. However, it’s in part our collective vigilance in keeping these protocols that has helped bring us to a point where we can soon look forward to the lifting of all of these restrictions.

In the meantime, as always, please don’t hesitate to contact me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton if you have any questions or concerns.

TO: Clergy, wardens, lay readers, and lay pastoral visitors
FROM: Bishop Bruce Myers

In the coming days, most regions of the province of Quebec will no longer be designated as COVID-19 red zones. This is a credit to the individual and collective efforts of many people—including the clergy and faithful of our diocese. Please accept my thanks for doing your part to get us to this point, difficult and challenging as it has been.

We also need to recognize that we have not fully emerged from this pandemic, neither in Quebec nor (especially) globally. Therefore we need to remain vigilant and continue to respect public health guidelines so that this positive trend might continue.

To that end, here is a reminder of the maximum number of people currently permitted to gather in church buildings in different zone colours, according to public health guidelines. Please note that for the moment there continue to be different limits on the number of people permitted for a regular Sunday service and for funerals and weddings:

It is important to remember that because of the relatively small size of many of our church buildings, the true maximum number of people permitted for any service will be 50% of the usual capacity of the worship space, always allowing two metres between individuals from different households.

Other sanitary measures—such as hand sanitizing, no congregational or choir singing, and communion with bread only—remain in effect until further notice.

In-person pastoral visiting may take place, also subject to public health guidelines in each region. The best way to stay current with these regulations is to visit quebec.ca/coronavirus.

As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to be in touch with me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton.

• Those from different households attending worship services must be seated at least two metres apart from each other. In smaller church buildings, this will mean that the maximum permitted capacity will be far lower than 250.
  
  
• For funerals and weddings, the maximum number of people permitted to attend is 25 in red and orange zones and 50 in yellow and green zones. This number does not include clergy, readers, musicians, funeral home staff and any others assisting with the service. In smaller church buildings these numbers may be smaller so as to respect the two-metres rule. The names and contact details of those attending must be kept for the purposes of contact tracing. Families may receive condolences at the church before the funeral service, but no food or beverages may be served afterward.
  
  
• Other previous protocols remain in place. For example, masks must be worn by members of the congregation throughout the service (procedural masks are mandatory in red and orange zones) and are only to be briefly removed for receiving communion, which is to be brought to individuals in their pews. Congregational and choral singing remains prohibited, although one or two cantors distanced from the congregation may sing during the service.

TO:  Clergy, wardens, lay readers, and lay pastoral visitors
FROM: Bishop Bruce Myers

Next week the whole of the Diocese of Quebec will fall within the provincial government’s orange alert level for COVID-19. Some regions of the diocese have already been in orange zones for several weeks. In either case, at the request of public health authorities, revised protocols for places of worship in orange zones come into effect on March 8.

With respect to Sunday services:

• Churches in an orange zone may receive a maximum of 100 people (or 50% of the building’s capacity, whichever number is smaller). This number does not include clergy, lay readers, or musicians.
• Masks should be worn throughout the service and only removed for receiving communion, and if a presider, reader, or soloist is speaking or singing from a place adequately distant from the congregation. Public health authorities are specifically requesting that, if possible, procedural masks be worn.
• Hand sanitizer should be amply available and those from different households should remain two metres apart.
• A record of who attends each service should be kept, along with their contact information, should contact tracing be necessary.
• If the eucharist is celebrated, the presider should bring communion to individuals at their seats, rather than individuals coming forward to receive, so as to reduce moving about the church building. More detailed protocols about the administration of the eucharist are attached to this memo.

With respect to funerals:

• Even for churches in an orange zone, the maximum attendance for a funeral currently remains 25. This number does not include clergy, funeral home workers, or others assisting with the service.
• Procedural masks should be worn throughout the service and individuals from different households should maintain a distance of two metres from each other.
• The names and contact details of everyone who attends a funeral must be recorded for the purposes of contact tracing.
• Food and beverages must not be served after the funeral service.
• Families of the deceased may also receive condolences at the church before the funeral service, so long as these same guidelines are observed.

As has been the case since our diocese’s churches began reopening to in-person worship last September, the choice to offer in-person services under these conditions is left up to each local corporation, ideally in consultation with members of the congregation.

Other guidelines concerning pastoral visiting, hall rentals, and travel between regions—outlined in my previous memo of February 4—remain in effect.

While we can be grateful for this opportunity to receive more people into our church buildings for Sunday worship, we must also continue to be vigilant in our care for one another. Public health officials remain anxious about the potential spread of new COVID-19 variants, and so our return to our usual patterns continues to be measured and gradual.

As ever, if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to be in touch with either myself or Archdeacon Edward Simonton. Stay safe and well, and be assured of my prayers.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

CELEBRATIONS OF THE EUCHARIST

• Those who normally prepare the bread and wine for the eucharist, such as altar guilds, should do so at least 24 hours before the service. Only wafer bread may be used.
• Only the presiding priest will be present at the altar and will alone distribute holy communion.
• The presiding priest will sanitize their hands immediately prior to the prayer over the gifts, immediately prior to the distribution of holy communion, and again immediately following the distribution of holy communion. Therefore a separate hand sanitizer should be available to the presider.
• After moving into place for the prayer over the gifts and the eucharistic prayer, the presiding priest may remove their mask. The mask must be replaced before the distribution of holy communion.
• Both bread and wine will be consecrated by the presiding priest. They will consecrate a priest’s host and a small amount of wine in the chalice, which they alone will both consume in their entirety before proceeding to the distribution of communion to the congregation.
• At the preparation of the gifts, individual wafers for members of the congregation will be placed on the corporal in a covered ciborium or on a paten covered with a purificator (or other suitable cloth).
• The eucharistic prayer is to be said, not sung.
• Only consecrated wafers of bread will be offered to the congregation. Communion “in one kind” is recognized as a full participation in the eucharist, and is a temporary measure until the normative Anglican practice of sharing the common cup can be safely restored.
• Communicants remain in their seats to receive in the following manner:
  • After the presiding priest issues the invitation to communion from the altar, they say, “The body of Christ,” to which the congregation responds, “Amen.” After sanitizing their hands the presiding priest, wearing a mask, takes the consecrated wafers individually to each communicant at their seat. Those wishing to receive communion should stand in their place with their hands outstretched.
  • The masked presiding priest will silently place the wafer of bread into the communicant’s outstretched hand, making every effort to avoid physical contact. If the presider inadvertently touches a communicant, they will pause, place the wafers on the altar, sanitize their hands again, and resume the distribution of communion.
  • If an individual wishes to receive a blessing instead of communion, they should indicate this by crossing their arms over their chest. The priest will bless them without physical contact.
• When holy communion is being distributed from the reserved sacrament, the same protocols apply as for a full celebration of the eucharist. Therefore only consecrated wafers of bread will be distributed, and they should remain in the tabernacle or aumbry until the prayer normally said before their distribution is offered by the presiding deacon or lay reader.

The Quebec government has announced further revisions to its COVID-19 restrictions, some of which relate to places of worship. These new restrictions are in effect as of February 8 and may be revised as soon as February 22.

SUNDAY SERVICES – Churches in a red zone are restricted to no more than 10 people attending a Sunday service. This number does not include clergy, lay readers, or musicians. Churches in an orange zone are restricted to no more than 25 people attending a Sunday service. This number also does not include clergy, lay readers, or musicians. The other provisions outlined in the Protocols for the Reopening of Church Buildings to Public Worship document issued last August (and available at quebec.anglican.ca) must also be respected.

FUNERALS – Funerals may still take place in church buildings, but with a maximum of 25 people in the congregation, whether the church is in a red zone or an orange zone. This number does not include clergy, funeral home workers, or others assisting with the service. Masks should be worn throughout the service and individuals from different households should maintain a distance of two metres from each other. The names and contact details of everyone who attends a funeral must be recorded for the purposes of contact tracing. Food and beverages must not be served after the funeral service. Families of the deceased may also receive condolences at the church before the funeral service, so long as these same guidelines are observed.

As has been the case since our diocese’s churches began reopening to in-person worship last September, the choice to offer in-person services under these conditions is left up to each local corporation, ideally in consultation with members of the congregation.

PASTORAL VISITING – Most in-person pastoral visiting—whether at a hospital, care home, or an individual’s residence—remains prohibited during this lockdown period. The government has, however, made two important exceptions: 1) A one-on-one pastoral visit may take place in a church building, so long as the usual precautions (i.e. hand sanitizing, physical distancing, mask wearing) are observed; 2) A dying individual may receive a pastoral visit at their home. If necessary, such a visit may take place during curfew hours, and a letter of authorization to show authorities is available from the Synod Office. In other cases, you are encouraged to use other means, such as the internet and telephone, to keep in touch with the members of your community during this new and intensified period of physical isolation.

HALL RENTALS – The rental of parish halls and other such spaces remains prohibited during this lockdown period, unless the organization renting the space falls under one of the categories for which the provincial government has made an exception, such as community organizations.

TRAVEL BETWEEN REGIONS – Travelling between regions of Quebec—particularly from a red zone to an orange zone—continues to be discouraged. For this reason I will continue to delay any in-person pastoral visits to the congregations of the diocese until the overall situation in the province improves further.

I share your fatigue at these restrictions, and like you I long for our collective emergence from this pandemic. However, as our public health leaders have reminded us, it’s by respecting these restrictions that we will arrive at the pandemic’s end more quickly and with less loss of life. As a church, we continue to do our part in the collective effort of sacrifice for the sake of protecting others, and in so doing we are following Jesus’ call to love our neighbours.

As ever, if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to be in touch with either myself or Archdeacon Edward Simonton. Stay safe and well, and be assured of my prayers.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

• OUTDOOR GATHERINGS – Public health authorities have currently authorized outdoor gatherings of 10 or fewer people from no more than three different households, with the two-meter distancing rule being respected. Clergy and congregations may wish to take advantage of this provision to have such small outdoor gatherings for pastoral care, teaching, and/or fellowship. The current limitations on the size of such gatherings may make outdoor worship services impractical, but those limits may increase according to the directives of public health authorities. Any outdoor worship should be a service of the word rather than a celebration of holy communion.
  
  
• ONLINE SERVICES – Weekly worship services, Bible studies, fellowship and discipleship groups will continue to be provided (likely in a slightly reduced form) during the summer, via the internet.
  
  
• FUNERALS – Funerals and interments may take place, but only at the graveside, and respecting the public health authorities’ guidelines on outdoor gatherings. If the deceased’s family so desires, a more fulsome liturgy, such as a requiem or memorial service, can still take place at a later date. Communities without access to a mortuary may continue to use their church buildings as a temporary resting place for an individual’s remains prior to burial.
  
  
• BAPTISMS – Since baptisms normally take place within the context of a worshipping community’s main service, they should be delayed until a usual pattern of worship resumes. In the case of an emergency, any Christian can baptize the individual and a celebration and recognition of the baptism can take place at church at a later date.
  
  
• WEDDINGS – Couples seeking marriage in the church should consider postponing their wedding until our return to our church buildings. If a couple nevertheless wishes to proceed, a dispensation for an outdoor wedding can be granted, provided that the stipulations of public health authorities regarding outdoor gatherings are respected.
  
  
• HALL RENTALS – The use of parish halls/basements by church groups or short-term renters continues to be suspended until further notice.

1. ONLINE – Visit https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/church-society-of-the-diocese-of-quebec/ and use a credit card to donate to your local congregation, or the diocese directly, or both. To donate to a specific congregation, use the pull-down menu labelled “APPLY YOUR DONATION TO A SPECIFIC FUND SET UP BY THIS CHARITY” to find the name of the local church you wish to support.
   
   
2. CONTACT YOUR CONGREGATION’S TREASURER – You can mail to or drop off a cheque to your local congregation’s treasurer. If you’re not sure who that is, you can contact Church House (info@quebec.anglican.ca or 418 692 3858) and we can probably tell you. You can also mail a cheque directly to the diocesan office: 31 rue des Jardins, Québec, QC G1R 4L6.
   
   
3. ORGANIZE A COMMUNITY COLLECTION – In the current circumstances, going door to door to collect offerings is not advisable. However, members of the community can be invited to drop off their donations at an appointed time and place outdoors (perhaps the front door of the church), with two people designated by the parish corporation present to receive the donations.

TO: Holders of marriage licenses in the diocese
FROM: Bishop Bruce Myers

As usual, a number of weddings have been planned for the approaching summer. What is unusual, of course, are the complications created for weddings and other typically large gatherings by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Because it remains unclear how long social distancing directives will remain in place, what their degree might be, and in which regions of Quebec they might apply, my recommendation is that any weddings currently scheduled for this summer be postponed until such time as social distancing measures are relaxed by civil authorities.

If an upcoming wedding is postponed but has already been published with the Quebec Registrar of Civil Status, that office will need to be informed as soon as possible of the change. They can be reached at 877 644-4545 or by email at etatcivil@dec.gouv.qc.ca.

If it is pastorally appropriate that a wedding take place on a date already arranged this summer, it may still be celebrated, but only in the presence of the presider, the couple, and two witnesses, each maintaining the physical distances indicated by public health authorities. In such an instance one of the witnesses could record the ceremony for the benefit of those unable to attend in person. Please inform me if a couple wishes to proceed in this manner.

Whether a wedding is delayed or not, marriage preparation with couples can and should proceed, either by telephone or videoconferencing.

These guidelines will be revisited as the situation evolves, guided as always by the advice of public health authorities, care for the common good, and out of a particular concern for the most vulnerable in our midst. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to be in touch with me or with Vicar General Edward Simonton (esimonton@quebec.anglican.ca or 819 679-9957).

Sincerely yours in Christ,

TO:                  Parish corporations and treasurers
FROM:             Bishop Bruce Myers

Across Quebec we are preparing to enter our fourth week of self-isolation, and churches all across our diocese will be closed for a fourth consecutive Sunday.

These collective efforts have so far been successful in helping stifle the spread of COVID-19 and in saving lives. I am deeply grateful for the way that Quebec’s Anglicans have answered the call to take the difficult but necessary measures required to combat this pandemic.

These measures have also had a significant and widespread economic impact, with many businesses temporarily closing and thousands of people being laid off, having their wages reduced or their livelihoods imperiled.

The church is not immune to the economic effects of the pandemic. For their financial health and sustainability, the congregations of our diocese depend primarily on two sources of revenue: the generous contributions of parishioners and income generated from investments. The financial landscape has changed, and I know that many of our congregations—some of which were already financially fragile—are concerned about the future.

Diocesan Treasurer Michael Boden, Director General Marie-Sol Gaudreau, and Vicar General Edward Simonton have been tirelessly monitoring and evaluating the financial impacts on our church since this pandemic began, and together we have been attempting to discern the best financial path forward for our church in an unprecedented situation that is changing almost daily.

Our goal is to do everything we can to keep our congregations—and the diocese as a whole—financially viable during this challenging time, and to safeguard the livelihoods of our clergy and lay employees who rely on a stipend or wages from our church. They have all been finding creative and meaningful ways to fulfill their vocations and serve the church in this extraordinary set of circumstances.

To that end, we are taking the following approaches concerning finances:

1. DIOCESAN POOLED FUNDS – Many congregations have entrusted their financial investments with the diocesan Pooled Funds, which are managed by the Church Society of the Diocese of Quebec. First-quarter distribution cheques will be issued in the coming days. The massive turbulence of the financial markets will necessarily be reflected in the amounts that will be received. Congregations receiving first-quarter distributions are strongly encouraged to make a priority of using those funds to support their pastor and pay any stipend and benefits invoices. Fulfilling our payroll obligations in the coming weeks will be one of our key financial challenges. Congregations without stipend obligations are encouraged to reinvest their first-quarter distributions with the Pooled Funds to contribute to our collective portfolio’s long-term sustainability. Because of the extreme volatility of the overall economic situation, and uncertainty about how long this pandemic will last, Pooled Funds distributions will need to be assessed on a quarter-by-quarter basis. Although distribution policies may change in the short term, the Pooled Funds remain a sound investment in the long term.

2. STIPENDS AND BENEFITS – A week ago the federal government announced a temporary 75 per cent wage subsidy aimed at helping qualified businesses and non-profit organizations avoid laying off their personnel during the pandemic. The diocese and its churches are eligible for this important short-term financial support, which will temporarily relieve many congregations of a significant financial burden at a critical time. This will mean that congregations with stipend agreements in place will still be responsible for providing 25 per cent of what they would normally contribute to their pastor’s stipend and benefits package. If any congregation has concerns about its capacity to fulfill its financial obligations during this time, please do not hesitate to contact Director General Marie-Sol Gaudreau (msgaudreau@quebec.anglican.ca or 418 692 3858) to discuss what alternative arrangements might be made.

3. OFFERINGS – Even though our congregations aren’t meeting for worship in person during this time—which means offering envelopes aren’t getting filled or collections taken up—we are still able to receive donations in other ways. Those who are still able to make a financial contribution to their congregation at this time can mail a donation to their church’s treasurer. You are also invited to make a tax-deductible contribution to the Church Society as a way of supporting the life and work of the wider Diocese of Quebec during this especially challenging time. You can do so by mailing a cheque to the address above or donate online by visiting CanadaHelps.org and finding the “Church Society of the Diocese of Quebec.” You can also make an online contribution to any congregation of the diocese in the same way; just indicate the name of the specific church you’d like to support and the funds will be credited to them.

God promises that we will be provided with everything we need, if we stay focused on God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness. With God’s help—and with our trust in God’s providence—our church will emerge on the other side of this time of trial, giving expression to God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness all along the way.

TO: Clergy, wardens, and lay readers
FROM: Bishop Bruce Myers
DATE: Friday 27 March 2020

Last Friday guidelines were issued for the conduct of funerals in the Diocese of Quebec, aimed at respecting the health authorities’ directives concerning COVID-19. In light of the rapidly changing situation on the ground, I am offering some updated directives.

That government decree prohibits practically all indoor and outdoor gatherings. As a result, no funeral services may be held in church buildings. Where cremation is not an option and a burial cannot be delayed, a brief graveside service may take place in the presence of a presider and no more than 10 other people, each respecting the two-meter personal distance recommended by health authorities.

Even though funeral homes remain in operation, because of the high risk of transmission, clergy and lay readers of the diocese may not preside at funerals in funeral homes at this time. It is worth noting that 44 new cases of COVID-19 this week have been traced to individuals who all recently attended funerals at the same funeral home in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

These provisions, as well as the overall suspension of public liturgies and all other physical church-related gatherings, remain in effect until further notice. Like all of these efforts, they are aimed at protecting public health and especially the most vulnerable among us.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at 418 692 3858 or at bmyers@quebec.anglican.ca. Be assured of my continued prayers and support during this challenging time.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

FROM:   Bishop Bruce Myers

DATE:  Friday 20 March 2020

RE:  Church life during the COVID-19 pandemic 

It has been exactly one week since all public liturgies and other church-related gatherings across the Diocese of Quebec were suspended, until further notice, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. I would like to thank all of you for how quickly and compliantly each of your communities responded to this directive, which is part of a wider collective effort for the common good and especially those most vulnerable to this disease.

It seems likely that some form of this disruption in our common lives as congregations and as a diocese will continue for some time to come, and so I’d like to offer some further guidance about how we journey together through this time of trial.

All public liturgies and church gatherings remain suspended, including public funerals. Other temporary options are available.

During this suspension of public worship, I am inviting the Anglicans of our diocese to join me in a different form of prayer on Sunday mornings: a webcast of prayers from my home in Quebec City starting at 10:30 a.m. EDT. Details on how to access these services are available on the Anglican Diocese of Quebec Facebook page and on the diocesan website (www.quebec.anglican.ca), where you’ll find other resources to help you pray at home. Please widely circulate this invitation to worship as a diocesan family in a new and different way. We are exploring ways to expand our fellowship options, including ways to reach people without internet access.

The suspension of public worship services also includes pastoral liturgies, such as funerals. Earlier this week, Quebec’s director of public health specifically identified funerals as high-risk gatherings for transmitting the COVID-19 virus. Until this passes, clergy and lay readers are instructed to refrain from presiding at funerals in church buildings or funeral homes. Three other options are possible at this time: 1) If possible (for example, if the remains of the departed have been cremated), delay the funeral until the suspension of public liturgical services is lifted; 2) Conduct a form of the entire funeral liturgy at the graveside, with a small enough number of people that respects public health authorities’ most up-to-date instructions (www.quebec.ca/coronavirus); or 3) Hold a small private gathering of family members and close friends at the home of the deceased, with prayers for the dead being offered by the family, followed immediately by the committal of the body in the cemetery led by a priest, deacon, or lay reader. When things return to normal, a fuller requiem or memorial service could be held at the church, at which the wider community could gather as usual.

I recognize that the death of a loved one is difficult enough without the additional complications created by this pandemic. However, these measures are in place so that we might avoid the exponential wave of deaths and funerals that we have witnessed in other parts of the world as a result of COVID-19.

Please be reminded that all other public church gatherings such as study groups, annual vestry meetings, and social events are also suspended until further notice. Concerts and other gatherings that involve outside groups using church property must also be put on hold.

Because of the way COVID-19 spreads, great caution is required in providing pastoral care. Consider team approaches to staying in touch by phone or email, and collaborative ways to meet material needs.

Among the many challenges posed by this pandemic is how to provide pastoral care to our members when many are in self-imposed quarantine or are in hospitals or long-term care facilities where visiting has been prohibited.

Congregations with up-to-date membership lists should use these as a way of checking in with people by telephone or email, while also exercising discretion in how widely individuals’ private contact information is distributed. Clergy, lay readers, wardens, and lay pastoral visitors could, for example, divide up a congregational membership list and reach out to everyone relatively quickly.

Because so many different groups of people are now homebound because of COVID-19, it is worth asking the individuals you contact whether—in addition to spiritual or companionship needs—they have any essential material needs, such as food or toiletries. Consider whether your congregation can be mobilized to assist with these, or see if you can partner with other community organizations to help.

Church House is closed, but we are answering incoming voicemails and emails. Please be patient with us as we cope with this unusual time.

Church House, the administrative office of the diocese located in Quebec City, is effectively closed until further notice. Our small but diligent staff is working mostly from home, which means it may take longer than usual to respond to messages and enquiries. You may call 418 692 3858 and leave a message on voicemail or email general enquiries to info@quebec.anglican.ca. Someone will respond as soon as we are able. Thank you for your patience.

Be attentive to your own physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.

For many of us, respecting the directive to physically distance ourselves from others without overly isolating ourselves socially can be a challenge. Even as you reach out to others, I’d invite you to also be attentive to caring for yourself. This can be especially important for those of us who are in self-imposed isolation. Consider things like structuring your consumption of news, finding ways of remaining physically active, and eating and sleeping as well as you can. As leaders in our communities we are called to model good behaviour for the people we serve, and to stay as healthy as possible so that we might continue to serve.

These are unusual and unsettling times, but they are not unprecedented. A century ago our churches were closed for several weeks during the 1918 influenza pandemic, and we emerged intact on the other side of that. However, I would invite us to view this as not simply a crisis to endure or a challenging time to get through. Instead let it be an opportunity for us to renew our purpose as a church in this time and place. Let us be the attentive ears and helping hands of the body of Christ in our communities. In the face of darkness, fear, and death, we can be small but luminous beacons of resurrection and hope.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

[ Download a PDF of this letter ]

Dear friends,

As we have all been experiencing, the situation regarding COVID-19 is changing by the day. The government of Quebec has put in place a series of aggressive measures aimed at slowing the pace of virus’ spread. These include cancelling indoor gatherings of more than 250 people.

Although Anglican churches in our diocese rarely see such numbers, it nevertheless seems prudent to take whatever measures we can to assist in the collective effort to slow the advance of COVID-19. This seems especially wise given that many of our faithful are over the age of 65, one of the groups most at risk of contracting the disease.

Therefore, effective immediately and until further notice, all public liturgical celebrations in the Diocese of Quebec are suspended. This includes regular Sunday services and any midweek liturgies. Other church-related gatherings—such as educational groups, annual vestry meetings, Anglican Church Women or guild get-togethers—should also suspend meeting in person during this time. I would also encourage parish corporations to find ways for outside groups using church facilities like parish halls to temporarily make other arrangements.

These measures are being taken out of an abundance of caution and in the interests of the common good, particularly those whose age or health makes them more vulnerable during this pandemic.

One of the ways the catechism in the Book of Common Prayer describes the church is as “the family of God.” Even though, temporarily, we will not gather as the church in our usual buildings, we nevertheless all remain members of God’s family. We remain the church. I therefore invite you to find other ways to stay connected with your sisters and brothers in Christ during this pandemic. Social distancing need not lead to social isolation.

Even as we pray separately, our prayers join those of all the faithful and the whole communion of saints across time and space. Look in the days ahead for some resources to aid in your prayers during this unusual time, and for further updates. In the meantime, I offer you my prayers and this:

The Rt. Rev. Bruce Myers OGS
Bishop of Quebec

[ Download a PDF of this letter ]

Dear friends in the Dioceses of Quebec and Montreal,

On March 11 the World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic. On that same day the first case of coronavirus was diagnosed within the boundaries of the Diocese of Quebec.

Out of an abundance of caution and a particular desire to protect those most vulnerable to the spread of this virus, the following liturgical measures are to be implemented in all congregations of the Diocese of Quebec and the Diocese of Montreal, effective immediately and until further notice:

1. The sharing of the common cup is to be suspended at celebrations of the eucharist. The presiding priest is to consecrate both the bread and the wine, consume in both kinds, but administer only the consecrated bread to the congregation. Similarly, when holy communion is distributed from the reserved sacrament, only the bread will be offered. Although cherished Anglican practice is that all communicants normally receive both the bread and wine at the eucharist, the church also teaches that we still fully participate in holy communion in receiving “in one kind.” Small, individual communion cups are not to be used as an alternative to the common cup during this time.
2. Avoid physical contact during the exchange of the peace and the offertory. Normally during the liturgy members of the congregation are invited to exchange a sign of Christ’s peace, which typically takes the form of a handshake or an embrace. For now, please exchange a simple bow instead and continue to bid one another Christ’s peace verbally. Similarly, the offering should be taken up in such a way that avoids multiple people touching the collection plate

Please also continue to follow the other hygienic recommendations provided in the diocesan statements distributed in February. These include ensuring that hand sanitizer is available in each church, presiders washing or sanitizing their hands before distributing communion, and staying home if you are ill.

Also be attentive to the advice of provincial and federal public health officials, particularly with respect to practices like social distancing. We would invite you to be especially mindful of any members of our communities—especially elderly ones—who may feel especially isolated and vulnerable during this time and might require assistance or even just a telephone call.

Finally, we bid your prayers for those afflicted by this disease, for caregivers, medical professionals, public health officials, and those researching a treatment and cure for COVID-19. Pray also for those whose livelihoods are threatened by the economic impact of this pandemic. May all that we say and do during this uncertain time be grounded in faith and hope in God’s providence, and be a reflection of Christ’s compassion and love.