With Fourth Wave COVID number escalating, The Provincial Health Authority has issued a Health Order that directly impacts our Faith communities. The text for the order is found at https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/health-care-administration-and-provider-resources/treatment-procedures-and-guidelines/emerging-public-health-issues/2019-novel-coronavirus/public-health-measures/public-health-orders#current-public-health-orders Please note the requirement to mask in worship spaces. Note also the exceptions relevant to faith communities listed in the text of the Health Order (with respect to those leading worship, those receiving communion, young children, etc.) For further questions contact: Rev Dr. Sid Haugen (Bishop Saskatchewan Synod- ELCIC): [email protected] Rev Dr. Ali Tote (Pastor and Epidemiologist): [email protected]

Provincial Health Directives related to Faith Communities– September, 2021 The Provincial Health Authority has somewhat surprisingly, not provided revised Health Directives for the province apart from urging continued vaccination. Organizations are obliged to manage COVID protocols for their own communities. Sask Synod advice for the fall of 2021 Synod faith leaders met on Sept 8 in consultation to discuss potential synod guidelines or advice to faith communities during the emerging Fourth Wave of the pandemic. The Bishop’s letter-Sept 2021 provides faith communities with synod advice for Continue reading →

Provincial Health Directives related to Faith Communities– July, 2021 The provincial Health Authority announced that, with vaccination goals being met and COVID numbers declining rapidly in response, as of July 11, all COVID related Health Directives will be removed. Sask Synod advice for the summer of 2021 following the July 11 opening Synod faith leaders met on June 30 in consultation to discuss potential synod guidelines or advice to faith communities in meeting this new open situation. The Bishop’s letter-July 1,2021 provides faith communities with synod Continue reading →

Two pieces of news for our faith communities today. The first is simply a reminder of the changes to Health Directives for Step 1 in the provincial plan. The second piece feels almost too good to be true. First the immediate news about Step 1 in the Provincial Roadmap. As of May 30, Step 1 in the Provincial plan does bring some openings to our faith communities. Step 1 allows 30% of seating capacity or 150 people, whichever is less, at all INDOOR ceremonial gatherings. Continue reading →

Provincial Health Directives related to Faith Communities– May, 2021 As of May 14, Provincial Health Directives continue to allow for faith communities to meet in worship with a limit of 30 people (not including the worship leaders) while rigorously following Health Directives.  Non-ceremonial guidelines for worship spaces also remain unchanged. Synod supports the Provincial Health Directives for Places of Worship as a non-negotiable basic standard for our faith communities. The provincial government and health authority also released on May 4, a Provincial 3-Step Roadmap to Reopening based on vaccination Continue reading →

Provincial Health Directives for places of worship – March 19, 2021 Provincial Health Directives as of March 19, 2021 allow for faith communities to meet in worship with a limit of 1/3 of capacity (to a maximum of 150) while rigorously following Health Directives. With the COVID variants suddenly appearing in Regina last week, that Health Directive has been amended to restrict Regina faith communities to a hard cap of 30 participants. Synod supports provincial Health Directives as a non-negotiable basic standard for our faith Continue reading →

With pandemic numbers still high, and with Health Authority Directives unchanged for the next three weeks, Synod leadership met in a virtual Town Hall across the synod Friday, Jan 29th. Pastor Ali Tote and Bishop Sid presented on the state of the pandemic at present and the recommendation to retain synod guidelines that were set in place on November of 2020 for the duration of the Health Order (until Feb. 19), at which time Synod will convene a Town Hall to review guidelines. Upon discussion, Continue reading →

Happy new year, everyone. As annual meeting time approaches our congregations, church leadership across the synod is in the process of discerning how to conduct their annual meetings in pandemic times. It is particularly difficult task given the way the ‘world’ changes around us, and the way the Health Directives change responding to that world. For some congregations, it may still be possible to meet in person following Health Directives. For others, a virtual meeting will be necessary. For others, a hybrid of face to Continue reading →

With the latest phase of the pandemic upon us and new Health Directives appearing from the Sask Health Authority, Synod presents updated Guidelines for the faith communities  based on the Town Hall consultations earlier this week. Bishop’s letter on response to COVID Nov 27, 2020 Revised Synod Guidelines Nov 27, 2020