- Influenza update 2 November 2009

Influenza update 2 November 2009

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Influenza update 2 November 2009
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As we move further into the autumn, when there is always a seasonal rise in flu cases, we need to be prepared for a rise in cases of the H1N1 virus. We are in regular contact with the local health authority. In the mean time, please note that the guidance set out below still stands.

Please keep checking this website for the most up-to-date information.

1. As in any crisis, the Church should remain open for business as usual.

There are prayers below for people who are ill or anxious about this flu.
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have written to all diocesan bishops recommending the suspension of the chalice at communion.You can read the advice of the Archbishops in July and their latest letter (30 October), as well as other swine flu documents below.
Even if consecrated wine is not to be offered to communicants, the Eucharistic Prayer must still be said in full.
You will see that the Archbishops' letter mentions the practice of intinction as one alternative. Please note that this means intinction by the presiding minister only. It is essential in this case the the presiding minister has spotlessly clean hands and does not touch the hands of the communicant during the distribution.
Please note that the practice of communicants individually intincting is not good practice during a flu pandemic. There is a risk that communicants will transmit the virus to others in this way.
Please note that the practice of intinction and giving Communion directly on to the tongue are strongly discouraged. These practices increase the possibility of spreading the virus.
If there is a strong desire at a local level to continue offering the chalice, please remind your congregation(s) that they are free to choose to take communion in one kind only, and that if they do so, the sacrament remains valid.

If a local decision is taken not to share the cup, it is logical also to advise congregations not to shake hands during the Peace of upon leaving church.
Despite what you might read in the press, the use of individual or disposable cups for the administration of consecrated wine is not lawful in the Church of England.
Clergy are asked to give clear advice (in Sunday Notices, parish magazines etc) to members of their congregation who may be showing flu-like symptoms not to attend church services or other meetings while their symptoms persist.

Some churches have a stoup for holy water near the entrance to the church door, and people are invited to dip a finger in this, and to make the sign of the cross as a reminder of their baptism. The water contained in stoups can easily become a source of infection, so stoups should be emptied and cleaned thoroughly, and not used until the pandemic alert is over.
Pastoral visits and Home Communion for people with the virus is discouraged. Please consider telephone or other means of contact. The risk of infection is very high, and a priest making a series of pastoral visits could spread infection, as well as being susceptible to becoming infected.
When a pastoral visit is said to be ‘absolutely necessary’ then priests should make up their own minds about the pastoral care they feel it is appropriate to offer. Clearly such a visit will expose them to catching the virus themselves, and they must decide whether this is a risk worth taking in the circumstances. The rules of basic hygiene following such a visit must be adhered to strictly.
Please take special precautions when taking Holy Communion to residential homes.

2. The best way to stop the spread of infection is through good personal hygiene.

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water regularly, or when available use antibacterial alcohol gel. Wash regularly, especially when entering or leaving a building, and at regular intervals, around every 90 minutes.
Coughs and sneezes spread infection rapidly. It is essential that you cover your mouth if you cough or sneeze. Make sure that tissues are available, as well as bins for the safe disposal of used tissues.
If you have flu symptoms, stay at home. Make sure someone knows where you are.
See: DirectGov: Swine flu - everything you need to know
and: NHS: Important information about swine flu
If you are not showing symptoms but someone in your household is, you do not need to stay at home. You are not infectious if you are not showing symptoms. However, if you are a priest or other church worker, you may need to consider arrangements for covering your duties if you catch the virus from your family.

3 It is important that churches work on their flu pandemic plans as soon as possible, in case the situation worsens.

See our flu pandemic plan document. There is also an example, St Agatha-in-the-Mud, to help you get started.

4. The Church is well placed to help the community during this pandemic.

The Government is recommending that people identify ‘flu friends’ to help in the event of the pandemic worsening. Flu friends are people who will collect medicines, food and other supplies for you if you get swine flu, so that you don’t have to leave home. Very often it will be a good idea not to choose people you have a lot of close contact with (e.g. other members of a Home Group) as you may all succumb at the same time.
You can find out more about flu friends in the NHS documents: Flu Friend and Prepare your home for a flu pandemic.
There will be some vulnerable people in our communities who do not have people they can call on to help in this way. This is where the church can help by setting up a flu friend scheme. It does not need to be complicated – and may simply involve building on a network you already have in place, such as street wardens or good neighbours scheme.
We recommend you look at this website for an example of good practice.

We don’t want to cause panic, or to exaggerate the seriousness of the situation. At the moment H1N1 is proving less fatal than seasonal winter flu. We hope the measures above will help churches to provide appropriate support in our congregations and parishes, whilst doing what we can to combat the spread of the infection. Please do use your common sense in deciding what is most appropriate in your church(es).

Please keep checking this website for the most up-to-date information.

The Rt Revd Colin Fletcher, Bishop of Dorchester, Chair of the Diocese of Oxford Planning Group

2 November 2009

Prayers for use in a time of crisis, with particular reference to the current flu pandemic.

General Prayers

Heavenly Father,
giver of life and health:
comfort and restore those who are sick,
that they may be strengthened in their weakness
and have confidence in your unfailing love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Creator and Father of all,
we pray for those who are ill.
Bless them, and those who serve their needs,
that they may put their whole trust in you
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For those who have contracted the virus

The almighty Lord,
who is a strong tower for all who put their trust in him,
whom all things in heaven, on earth, and under the earth obey,
be now and evermore your defence.
May you believe and trust that the only name under heaven
given for health and salvation
is the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.

May our Lord Jesus Christ,
who healed the sick and brought comfort to those in need,
by his risen presence be with all who have contracted this virus,
take from them all that harms and hinders them,
and fill them with his healing and his peace.
Amen.

The general prayers and prayers for those who have contracted the virus are adapted from ‘Common Worship’, published by the Archbishops’ Council.

Spread Over Us Thy Shelter of Peace

Grant, Lord our God, that we lie down in peace,
And that we rise, O our King, to life.
Spread over us thy shelter of peace,
And direct us with good counsel of thy own.

Save us for thy name's sake; Shield us,
And remove from us every enemy and pestilence,
Sword and famine and grief;
Remove the adversary from before us
And from behind us;
Shelter us in the shadow of thy wings;
For thou art our protecting and saving God;
Thou are indeed a gracious and merciful
God and King.

Guard thou our going out and our coming in,
For life and peace, henceforth and forever;
Blessed art thou, O Lord,
Who guardest thy people Israel forever.

Courtesy of American Jewish Committee -- Long Island.
From Church World Service Response Programme

O Merciful God, who answerest the poor,
   Answer us.
O Merciful God, who answerest the lowly in spirit,
   Answer us.
O Merciful God, who answerest the broken of heart,
   Answer us.
O Merciful God,
   Answer us.
O Merciful God,
   Have compassion.
O Merciful God,
   Redeem.
O Merciful God,
   Save.
O Merciful God, have pity upon us,
   Now,
   Speedily,
   And at a near time.

Prayer for the Day of Atonement
The Oxford Book of Prayer

Risen Lord,
we are bewildered
by the incomprehensible suffering of the innocent.
Receive those who have died into your light and love.
Comfort their families and friends.
As we remember and mourn,
do not let our hearts be filled with sadness,
but help us to respond
with peace, love, and compassion.
You are Lord forever and ever. Amen.

A prayer for those dealing with the pandemic

Almighty God, bless with your wisdom those who are fighting this pandemic;
be with doctors and nurses as they care for the sick and dying,
be with scientists working for an effective cure,
be with those who care for loved ones now departed,
be with the emergency services and public health authorities as they seek to protect us,
and protect us all beneath the shadow of your wing;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. *

A prayer for deliverance from this crisis

Loving God,
you set a rainbow in the sky as sign of your everlasting covenant with humankind,
and gave your Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins
and raised him from the grave to bring us new life:
as you have delivered us from sin and death, deliver us now from this pandemic,
that all your children may live free from fear and secure in the knowledge of your love for them;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. *

If prevented from being able to go to church for worship and to receive Holy Communion, you may wish to make a spiritual communion.

The Church contemplates that the benefits of Sacramental Communion may be obtained by the faithful believer, when the actual reception of the Holy Sacrament is impossible owing to certain circumstances. This is set forth in the rubric at the end of the Prayer Book Service for the Communion of the Sick.

The circumstances are these:--

1. In extreme sickness and consequent inability to communicate.
2. That a Priest cannot be obtained.
3. The absence of any fellow-communicants and consequent inability to fulfil other Prayer Book rubrics.
4. Any other just cause.

A simple form of Spiritual Communion.

You may find it helpful to have an icon, a crucifix, a holding cross or a lighted candle to focus your thoughts as you make your spiritual communion

Preparation:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Gather your thoughts in a time of silence, reflecting on those times when we have failed to live as a faithful disciple of Christ. You may wish to repeat the prayer a number of times before asking for God’s forgiveness.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God,
have mercy on me a sinner.
May God who is both power and love
forgive and free me from my sins,
heal and strengthen me by the power of the Spirit,
and raise me to newness of life, in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Word:

Use the Daily Prayer website of the church of England to guide your reading and to provide a Collect for the day. If you do not have internet access, read a short passage from the gospels.

Prayer:

Hold in your mind the things that concern you most, and offer them to God the Father through his Son Jesus and in the power of the Spirit.

The Lord’s Prayer

Spiritual Communion:

Holding a cross, reflecting on the image of an icon or the flame of a candle, say this modern version of the Anima Christi, which has its origins as a prayer before a crucifix and has been used in the devotions of Christians since the fourteenth century:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from Christ's side, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints
and with Thy angels
Forever and ever
Amen

Ending:

Resolve to go to church to receive Holy Communion as soon as you are able and give thanks for being able to make your Spiritual Communion.

Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ,
For all the benefits thou hast won for me,
For all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother,
May I know thee more clearly,
Love thee more dearly,
And follow thee more nearly:
For ever and ever.

--St. Richard Chichester (1197-1253)

Attachments:
File	Description	Order	File size
Letter to College of Bishops 30 October	Letter from the archbishops to the bishops		27 Kb

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