A Faith-Based Response to COVID-19
Resources for congregations and communities in our diocese

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Last updated: August 5, 2020

The COVID-19 coronavirus was classified as a pandemic on Wednesday, March 11.  There are more than 90,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of South Carolina, and while public worship services and gatherings were suspended in the Diocese of South Carolina from March 16 until June, some churches are beginning to return to in-person worship. Click here to learn more about the online and in-person opportunities for worship with and in churches throughout our diocese.

Communication from Leadership
As we are currently in the middle of a search for the next Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina, we are under the leadership and ecclesiastical authority of the Standing Committee, led by its president, the Reverend Canon Caleb Lee. The Standing Committee has been actively engaged in guiding our diocese in response to this pandemic. Find links to all messages to date below:
Guidance for Churches
On Tuesday, March 24, the Rev. Cn. Caleb Lee, as President of the Standing Committee, announced all churches within the Diocese of South Carolina are to continue with the suspension of all public worship services through the end of April. On April 24, this suspension was extended through at least May 18. On May 15, this was extended through June 1, with recommendations that churches begin making preparations for a possible return to in-person worship in the near future . This document of Best Practices for Planning a Return to In-Person Worship (click to view and download the file) should assist Rectors and Priests-in Charge in planning. 

In his March 24 letter, he noted: 
"The suspension of all public worship services, meetings, and gatherings in the Diocese of South Carolina has been extended to April 30, 2020. We deeply regret that this suspension extends into and beyond Holy Week and Easter celebrations. However, we are confident that our congregations and worship communities will rise to the challenges and opportunities that come with this unprecedented time. 

In addition to the extended suspension of all public worship services, meetings, and gatherings, all Deanery Confirmations with Bishop Parsley and the annual Clergy Conference have been postponed."

The Governor of the State of South Carolina has strongly discouraged mass gatherings of people in communities throughout the state. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has advised to limit gatherings to fewer than 50 people. While we are moving more from preparation to enacting the ways we can limit exposure, these preparation guidelines may be helpful for churches to consider all areas of concern.

Helpful Resources for Churches
Below you will find a number of resources that may be useful to churches in our diocese during this time. These include:

Cancellations & Postponements

For most churches in the Diocese of South Carolina, in-person worship services remain suspended. A few churches have returned to a form of in-person worship under strict public health guidelines. 

Many of the churches throughout the diocese are offering regular services, prayers, compline, and more online through Facebook and YouTube. Check the listing below for specific offerings.

Online worship services from Sunday, August 2, can be found at this link. This will be updated weekly.
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Churches With Online Services

Many of the churches in our diocese currently offer, or will offer Sunday services online through Facebook, YouTube, and other services. Find a listing at this link below.

​Washington National Cathedral
The Cathedral invites all to join online services throughout the week. They offer a Morning Service of Prayer each day (posted by 7 am Monday-Saturday) and an Evening Service of Prayer (posted by 7 pm Monday-Saturday). On Sundays, the Holy Eucharist will be webcast live at 11:15 am. You can access all videos (live or recorded) at this link. 

Diocesan Meditations

During the uncertain times created by the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic in March 2020, leadership of the diocese shared regular meditations on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays during the season of Easter as we all adjusted to a new chapter of living and being the Church. Find all meditations at this webpage.

​The Archdeacon, The Venerable Calhoun Walpole, shared a meditation each Wednesday; The Rt. Rev. Henry N. Parsley, Jr., Visiting Bishop for our Diocese, offered a meditation each Saturday; and the Rev. Cn. Caleb Lee, President of the Standing Committee, shared a reflection each Monday.

Important Information for Employers

Churches, as qualifying small businesses (501c3 organizations), are eligible to apply for assistance under the Paycheck Protection Program offered through the CARES Act. Click here to find out more. 

Other Helpful Links

Employer Resources and the CARES Act

The COVID-19 pandemic creates a challenge for all Americans, as citizens and employers. ​The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, was recently passed by Congress and signed into law to address the economic fallout of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the US. 
 
The act includes the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).  In simple terms, the PPP provides loans for employers, including churches, with fewer than 500 employees to help cover payroll for clergy and congregational staff and other limited costs for an eight-week period after the loan is made, with loan forgiveness available after that period if certain terms (retaining employees on the payroll, for example) are met.


On Thursday, April 2, the Diocese hosted a call with representatives of churches throughout the Diocese to share a brief overview of the CARES Act and the Paycheck Protection Program, as well as steps that churches should take immediately to apply for this assistance. Find the document outlining next steps at this link (Updates were made after the call to the application link and the SBA Lender list). 

Other helpful links and resources:
Helpful Articles and Information

Resources and Response from The Episcopal Church

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The Episcopal Church has created a page full of resources for churches, and communities. It can be found at this link: episcopalchurch.org/concerning-covid19

Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry shared a statement about our response as Christians to the COVID-19 coronavirus. View it by clicking the photo, or through the link here. You may read his full statement at this link. 

Here is an excerpt:
​"...we are in this together, we can walk through this together, and we will find our way in our life together. So look out for your neighbors, look out for each other. Look out for yourselves. Listen to those who have knowledge that can help to guide us medically and help to guide us socially. Do everything that we can to do this together, to respond to each other's needs and to respond to our own needs."

Episcopal Relief & Development: A Faith-Based Response to Epidemics

Our friends at Episcopal Relief & Development have provided helpful resources to calm our fears about the spread of the disease and to remind us of our responsibility as “compassionate Christians.” In their series of guidelines for faith-based response to epidemics they remind us that our role in these times is to:
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  • Combat fear with knowledge in order to encourage preparedness and decrease stigma.
  • Maintain operational continuity and continue worship life in the case of potential quarantine and disruption.
  • Show God’s compassion and care to those in our communities who are affected.

​The guidelines also include specific information about the virus, as well as resources for church bulletins, liturgical guidelines and resources, advice for churches, and more.

Online Church Services

As those in our communities practice "social distancing" for the health and well-being of themselves and others, many of our churches will offer online services in case members of the community wish to watch from home. 

For churches that may use Facebook Live for streaming, make sure you are a "follower" or "friend" of their page, and you will be notified when they are live and you can join the stream.

Our national cathedral, Washington National Cathedral, and our diocesan cathedral, Grace Church Cathedral, are both offering a regular series of traditional worship services on a daily basis. Please find links directly below:

​Washington National Cathedral
The Cathedral invites all to join online services throughout the week. They offer a Morning Service of Prayer each day (posted by 7 am Monday-Saturday) and an Evening Service of Prayer (posted by 7 pm Monday-Saturday). On Sundays, the Holy Eucharist will be webcast live at 11:15 am. You can access all videos (live or recorded) at this link. 

Grace Church Cathedral, Charleston 
Grace Church Cathedral will continue to broadcast an 11 am Sunday service on their YouTube page. You will find the Sunday bulletin at this link. You can also link through their Facebook page. The church will be open daily from 8 am until 4 pm for any who would like to come for private prayer. Grace is also offering a Morning Prayer video at 7 am Monday-Friday that can be found on their  YouTube page.

Find links to other church services throughout the diocese below:
All Saints Episcopal Church, Hilton Head Island
A link to the weekly service will be shared by 10:30 am each Sunday on their Facebook page. Additional information can be found on their website by clicking the name of the church above.

Calvary Episcopal Church, Charleston
In-person worship at Calvary remains suspended, but the church welcomes all to three weekly online offerings: a Sunday Bible Study at 9:30 am (click here to join); a Sunday Worship Service at 10:30 am (click here to join); and a Wednesday night Compline Service at 7:15 pm (click here to join).  

Church of the Good Shepherd, Summerville
Fr. Dow and Fr. Mike will celebrate the Eucharist each Sunday and a video of this service will be posted on their YouTube channel by 10:30 am on Sunday. A notice of the posting will be shared each Sunday morning on their Facebook page. 

Church of the Holy Communion, Charleston
Online mass can be viewed on the church's YouTube Channel.  When the service is available for viewing on Sunday morning, a notification will be made through their Facebook page, where they also offer additional services and online worship opportunities throughout the week. The church has begun a return to in-person worship as well for those who feel comfortable. Check out their webpage (linked in the church name above) for more details.

Church of the Messiah, Myrtle Beach
The church offers worship online at 10 am on Sunday by way of its YouTube Channel. The bulletin for this service is available online on the church’s website at www.messiahmb.org under the “library” tab. It may be downloaded and printed. Note that the service is not available before 10 am Sunday on the YouTube channel.

East Cooper Episcopal Church, Mt. Pleasant
The congregation is gathering each week on Zoom for a Sunday service at 10 am. Register in advance for these weekly services at this link. Registration is required once, and then people can choose to attend any of the weekly worship services.
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The Episcopal Church in Okatie, Ridgeland
The Episcopal Church in Okatie will livestream their weekly service on Sunday at 10 am through their Facebook page here. (Click the link to "like" the page; if you are on Facebook when they go live, you will be notified). To find the link on Sunday, visit the event listing for the week and the service will be live in the "discussion" on that page. The church has begun a return to in-person worship as well for those who feel comfortable. Check out their webpage (linked in the church name above) for more details.​

The Episcopal Church on Edisto, Edisto Island
On Sunday at 10 am, the Episcopal Church on Edisto will offer online videos through their Facebook page. You can watch on your own at any time, or join the "viewing party" on their Facebook page each Sunday at 10 am.

Holy Cross Faith Memorial, Pawleys Island
HCFM will be sharing Sunday services on their YouTube page, around 9 am each Sunday. The bulletin will be sent out to the congregation through email prior to the service. Each Sunday morning, they post a link to this information on their Facebook page.​​

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How to Use Technology to Connect With Your Community

Below are a number of resources that can be helpful in using technology to connect to your members and the community:

How to Livestream your Church Service in 4 Easy Steps
Father Lorenzo Lebrija, founding director of TryTank, the experimental Lab for church growth and innovation, shares quick tips on how to go live on Facebook with your church service. NOTICE: Copyright laws can affect some streaming, particularly when trying to save. The best way to avoid this is to avoid using pre-taped music. Also consider using hymns that are in the public domain: Hymns Unto God.

How to Broadcast a Facebook Live Event in 5 Easy Steps
One of the best things about using Facebook Live is that it doesn't require any fancy equipment to get started.

How to use Facebook Live: The Ultimate Guide
2019 Update - Hubspot
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Mass Messaging Text Service (MMS/SMS)
No. 1 SMS & Text Marketing Service For Companies Of All Sizes. Easy to Use Enterprise SMSPlatform & Developer API.

Best practices for Virtual Church 
As pastors and church leaders determine how best to shepherd their congregations during this health crisis, Sojourners reached out to those who have experience for their best words of advice. This article shares their thoughts.

You Already Have Everything You Need to be a Digital Media Minister
An Episcopal priest offers tips for being an effective digital media minister.

Offering Online Worship: A Simple Guide
From the Diocese of Chicago.

Virtual & At-Home Formation Resources

Churchnext.tv
​(Contact Andrea McKellar for diocesan login information)

Faith at Home
Our faith is not just something we check in with on Sundays; our faith is how we live lives of meaning and purpose every day of the week, if we will learn to notice and respond to how God is moving. So, a weekly discipleship practice of Reading, Reflecting, and Responding to scripture in the context of community is so important. The devotions on this site have been written with this practice in mind. 
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Way of Love Lent curriculum (videos)
The journey through Lent into Easter is a journey with Jesus. We are baptized into his life, self-giving, and death; then, we rise in hope to life transformed. This Lent, communities are invited to walk with Jesus in his Way of Love and into the experience of transformed life. Together, we will reflect anew on the loving actions of God as recounted in the Easter Vigil readings. Together, we will walk through the depths of salvation history into the fullness of redemption.

Bedtime Stories and Prayer with Episcopalians 
Each Wednesday evening, and occasional Mondays, join us to hear Bible and other stories and short bedtime prayers. 

Preparation Guidelines for Churches

The situation is changing rapidly as we plan for the effects of Coronavirus. Currently, the state has asked that there be no gatherings of more than 10 people and that all South Carolinians stay in their own homes and practice "social distancing" as much as possible to limit the spread of the virus.  

For churches, it is important to maintain a connection with your parishioners even when we are physically disconnected. The following are a list of steps that may be helpful as we live out this new reality: 
  • Print out contact information for all parishioners. Make sure more than one person has a copy.
  • Update your Facebook page and website often. Make sure you have log in information so you can access them if you are not able to get to your church.
  • Create a phone tree to be in touch with those that are quarantined either from being affected by the virus or as a precaution. 
  • Create an alternate plan of worship until your church is able to hold public services again. For example: 
    • Email the order of worship to all parishioners, share via social media as well. Mail copies to those who do not have email or are not as comfortable with technology. 
    • Livestream morning prayer on Sunday morning via Facebook Live.
    • Contact the Diocesan Office (Andrea McKellar at amckellar@episcopalchurchsc.org) if you are in need of ideas and/or support.
Share information about cancellations and alternative service plans on your website, social media channels, email blast, and church voicemail. Please also send an email to Diocesan Director of Communications Molly Hamilton at mhamilton@episcopalchurchsc.org to share the information on this site as well.
St. Anne's Episcopal Church, Conway
St. Anne's will offer a livestream of Morning Prayer on Sunday at 10 am. Participants can watch through St. Anne's Facebook page, or participate through Zoom (find the link each week on their website by clicking the name of the church at the top of this listing). The church also offers daily Morning Prayer (8 am) and Evening Prayer (5 pm) through their Facebook page as well. Follow their Facebook page to be alerted to live events.

St. Catherine's Episcopal Church, Florence ​
St. Catherine's will share services on their Facebook page. The church meets via Zoom for a service each Sunday at 11:30 am.  

St. Francis Episcopal Church, Charleston
St. Francis will be sharing services on Sunday mornings through their Facebook page. The link is available early on Sunday mornings.

St. George's Episcopal Church, Summerville
St. George's will share a live Sunday service at 10 am on their Facebook page.  Also on Facebook, St. George's is offering regular video posts and musical offerings. They are also adding videos occasionally on their YouTube page.

St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Charleston
Each Sunday, the Rev. Dr. Philip Linder will offer a sermon that will be shared on their YouTube page and their website (link in the name of the church above). The Sunday service, along with other reflections and videos, will also be shared on their Facebook page.

St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Port Royal
St. Mark's will be sharing an online worship service each Sunday morning on their Facebook page. The church also offers live Zoom sessions of Morning Prayer on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 8:30 am. Login information has been sent to all members. Additionally, the church has begun a return to in-person worship as well for those who feel comfortable. A Sunday service, Church on the Green, is offered outdoors each Sunday at 9 am. Check out their webpage (linked in the church name above) for more details.

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Charleston
During the pandemic, St. Stephen's is regularly posting on the St. Stephen's Facebook page and YouTube channel. Subscribe to their YouTube channel here. Content will be shared each day at 12 pm and 7 pm and Sunday at 8 am. 
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St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, North Myrtle Beach 
Sermons are posted each week on the St. Stephen's Facebook page shortly after the 10:30 am service. Throughout the pandemic, the church has offered two drive-up services each Sunday. Visit their webpage (linked in the church name above) for more details. ​

Government & Public Health Information Pages

South Carolina DHEC
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control is charged with promoting and protecting the health of the public and the environment in South Carolina. This page has a number of resources for South Carolinians in dealing with the rapidly emerging outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Collaborating to create the expertise, information, and tools that people and communities need to protect their health – through health promotion, prevention of disease, injury and disability, and preparedness for new health threats.

Also on the CDC site, find Resources for Community- and Faith-Based Leaders.

World Health Organization (WHO)
On this website, you can find information and guidance from WHO regarding the current outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that was first reported from Wuhan, China, on 31 December 2019. Please visit this page for daily updates.

Fifteen Days to Slow the Spread: Guidelines from the White House 
On March 16, the President and the White House Coronavirus Task Force issued new guidelines to help protect Americans during the global Coronavirus outbreak.
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Liturgical Resources

Book of Common Prayer Online
​The Book of Common Prayer is a treasure chest full of devotional and teaching resources for individuals and congregations, but it is also the primary symbol of our unity. As Armentrout and Slocum note in their Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, that “Anglican liturgical piety has been rooted in the Prayer Book tradition since the publication of the first English Prayer Book in 1549.”

Daily Prayer (visual)
This site offers the daily selections from Forward Day by Day, a liturgical calendar, and more resources to strengthen your faith and heart.

A Morning at the Office
An Episcopal Morning Prayer Podcast (audio)