Diocese of Niagara shuts churches because of Omicron

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Just in time for Christmas.

From here:

Dear friends:

You will have heard by now that I have made the difficult decision to shutter our churches for public worship as a preventative measure against the unrestrained spread of the Omicron variant of concern which is circulating in our midst.

This is a hard time.  We are being asked to dig very deep to accede to this moment with strength and maturity.  The psalm quoted above, is one of assurance.  It’s about trust in the power of God to guide and fortify us in the face of fear.  God is called a fortress and a refuge – places of protection and shelter.  Well, we have need of both in this moment.

But we are not helpless.  Added to this deep trust is the use of the good judgement and common sense gifted to us as God’s beloved children.  So, equipped with these abilities and God’s steadfast presence and care, we move forward into this next chapter of the pandemic.

It seems amazing that a scant three weeks ago, the word Omicron was not in our lexicons.  Yet as I write to you, the number of cases in Ontario from this now predominant variant are doubling every two or three days, with case counts in our diocese rising to levels we haven’t seen since the third wave of the pandemic.

The extent of transmission in our communities has led many to urgently call for a set of new guidelines to act as a “circuit breaker” to slow infection and buy time to ramp up vaccination efforts. We are doing our part to contribute to this effort even as we place our trust in God.

It seems, the bishop has lost her faith – in the vaccines:

British Columbia sets church capacity limits based on vaccine status

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From here:

Worship services

If all participants are vaccinated as determined by the worship service leader, there are no capacity restrictions on worship services and choirs.

If participants are not all vaccinated, worship services and choirs are limited to 50% seated capacity.

Masks are required but can be temporarily removed for ceremonial eating and drinking, and by officiants, readers or for singing a solo where physical distancing is observed.

This, of course, has no effect on the Anglican Diocese of BC, since they struggle to fill their churches to 25% capacity at the best of times.

It does place great responsibility in the hands of “the worship service leader”, though. Who inspects the vaccine passports? The greeters (good morning, welcome to St. Elgiebetea’s, show me your papers)? If the church becomes half full, do you ask only the latecomers for papers, or do you throw everyone out and, in your egalitarian zeal, start again? Must masks be N95? Will an old scarf do? A pair of my wife’s pantyhose? Must churches hire bouncers to eject unclean interlopers?

In comparison to this, the mystery of the Trinity is simplicity itself.

An update from the Diocese of BC as of December 21st:

Unvaccinated individuals over the age of 12 will be asked to participate in worship virtually only for the next few months, while vaccination rates continue to improve, and the threat of the new variant is assessed.

I’m dreaming of a non-white Christmas

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Well, I’m not, but Bishop Anna Greenwood-Lee is because there are no white people in the Bible and because white people exchanging gifts is yet another example of white supremacy. I presume the centurion in Matthew 8 was white, not to mention Herod and other assorted gentiles in Galatia and Ephesus. Perhaps they don’t count. Or perhaps the bishop hasn’t actually read the Bible.

So, if your skin has a whitish tinge to it, add another knot to your knout and indulge in a little Advent self-flagellation.

If COVID hasn’t made you feel depressed this Christmas, watch this video to complete the job.

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It just occurred to me: there are no Welsh people in the Bible either. I’m off to add yet another knot to my scourge.

Diocese of New Westminster lights candles to ease eco-anxiety

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From here:

Please light a candle in your window every Monday evening this winter. You will be joining a community from over 345 organizations across the province to keep vigil for those people, plants, and animals that have lost their lives in heat domes, wildfires floods and mud slides this year.

Take a moment to honor the grief and eco-anxiety that lurks in many of our hearts.

[…..]

Turn that hope into action. By lighting a candle together, we will be lighting up the need for climate action.

To gain a little perspective, let’s compare candles to a modest 18 Watt LED light:

An 18 Watt LED light produces about 1300 lumens. A candle produces about 13 lumens. It takes 100 candles to produce the same amount of light as an 18 Watt LED bulb.

Pollutants produced by burning a candle can include (depending on the candle): toluene, benzyne, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, acrolein, naphthalene and, of course, the much-hated CO2.

So by all means ease your conscience for all the plants you’ve murdered. Light candles. Let your 13 lumens shine. Inhale deeply of the toluene and formaldehyde. As your brain fogs over, rejoice in the certain knowledge that you are playing your part in the community (have you noticed that every loosely connected ragtag bunch of eccentrics now constitutes a ‘community’) of 345 eco-befuddled, lumen-addled organisations across the province.

Pro LGBT Vicar appointed to lead Holy Trinity Brompton

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From here:

Holy Trinity Brompton (known as HTB), the largest church in the Church of England, is to have a new Vicar lead its 4,000-strong congregation.

The former curate who pioneered its first ‘plant’ outside of London – the Revd Canon Archie Coates, 51, currently Vicar of St Peter’s Brighton, has been chosen as HTB’s Vicar Designate.  It is expected that Canon Coates will become Vicar in September 2022, taking over from the Revd Nicky Gumbel, 66, who has announced his intention to resign his post from July 2022. Mr Gumbel has been Vicar of HTB since 2005 and has overseen considerable growth in that time. His books, which include Why Jesus? and Questions of Life, have been international best-sellers.

In 2016, while at St. Peter’s in Brighton, the Revd Canon Archie Coates lent his support to the UK’s largest gay pride parade, saying many in his congregation would take part.

Is this the beginning of the end for Holy Trinity Brompton and Alpha? I hope not but fear it might be.

From the 2016 Christianity Today article:

Churches are preparing for the UK’s largest gay pride march this weekend in Brighton.

Tens of thousands are expected to turn out on the seafront in Brighton and Hove for the annual “pride parade” through the town to the festival on Saturday morning.

A number of churches are dotted along the march’s route. While the issue of homosexuality and same-sex marriage is highly controversial in many of Britain’s churches – including the Church of England – the local Anglican Diocese of Chichester has said its churches have “created a range of inclusive events to celebrate” the festival. Some churches are putting theological questions to one side in an effort to be open and welcoming.

A key landmark on the route is the evangelical Anglican church St Peter’s, known as the “cathedral of Brighton”. Vicar Archie Coates told Christian Today he was “very supportive” of the parade and a lot of people in his congregation would be taking part.

“It’s great because it celebrates diversity as much as it celebrates LGBT people,” he said. “In our congregation we have a lot of diversity and a lot of LGBT people and we are very supportive.”

The church was planted by the charismatic London church Holy Trinity Brompton in 2009 and around 1,000 people attend every Sunday.

Bishop Anna Greenwood-Lee explains Advent

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Advent is the apocalypse, the apocalypse is climate change, it’s not the end but the unveiling. Pride is the problem (true), the Creation is the underlying power (Pantheism), the answer is interconnectedness.

No God, no Jesus, no sense. Other than that, I quite enjoyed it.

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