Lovers in a Dangerous Time
by Bishop John E. Privett
Dear Friends,
It has been a summer of crises in British Columbia. As I write this letter from our home in Westbank I am grateful that the outstanding efforts of our fire fighters have contained the West Kelowna fires. Watching the spread of fires from the windows of our home was a powerful reminder of how quickly our lives can change from daily routines to a radical reassessment of our priorities. I was moved by how St. George’s parish quickly responded to the needs of evacuees by providing sandwiches for several days in a row.
Despite the fact that we know we live in a land of forests and dry underbrush, and experts had warned of the dangers, many were still unprepared for the fires that broke out in the province. The sight of fire in the skies above our mountains and towns and thick smoke along our beautiful valleys has left us all with a powerful reminder of the preciousness of life, the fragile ecosystems that we call home and our responsibility for one another and for the earth.
Another crisis also looms. There have been many opinions on the severity of the second wave of H1N1 or "swine" flu this fall. The World Health Organization still warns of a serious epidemic to come. In June it raised the alert to a level 6 because of the spread of the disease to 1/3 of the countries of the world. The alert was due to the spread and not the severity of the virus. The WHO recognizes that most cases will be moderate and that the majority of those affected will make a full recovery often without medical intervention.
With increased incidents of the H1N1 flu in England the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have authorized the distribution of communion with bread only. At this point I do not see a need to follow suit in this diocese, unless circumstances in local communities warrant it. Nevertheless, as members of congregations we can take precautions that will help everyone as flu season arrives.
1. The best precaution is frequent hand washing. It is good to get into the habit now, and every parish can ensure that there are adequate washing facilities for parishioners and especially for children in our Sunday schools. It would not hurt to devote part of an early Sunday school lesson to remind children of how to properly wash their hands.
2. In many congregations the passing of the peace has become a cherished part of the liturgy. During flu season, I recommend restraint in passing the peace, as it is a time when hand-to-hand contact can increase the risk of sharing more than the peace with another!
3. Intinction, or the dipping of the bread into the cup, is strongly discouraged. Some medical experts have said that this practice is a safe alternative to the common cup, if members of the congregation wash their hands thoroughly and use alcohol based (at least 70%) hand sanitizer. Since we cannot be assured that this will always take place I recommend that if there is concern about the spread of germs it is best to receive bread only.
It was Franklin D. Roosevelt who in his inaugural address said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." As we hear reports and rumours of a global flu pandemic we must also be careful to avoid excessive fear. Henri Nouwen has written that the opposite of faith is not doubt, but fear. As people of faith, we are people who know the never failing presence of God's love in our midst. As people of faith we are called to be, in the words of Bruce Cockburn, "Lovers in a Dangerous Time." In my view, we bear witness to that love in how we care for one another, for the Church, which is the Body of Christ, and for the world.
Faithfully, +John
