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I know a few weeks ago Deseret News made a big deal about SM restarting in Utah and there were several articles about how it was being done in different places, etc. However, I don’t know if church meetings have begun anywhere else. I live in NY where I have not been expecting church to restart until at least July, but July is nearly upon us and my part of the state is moving to a phase where limited capacity church services may be allowed. I noticed the local Methodist Church does have a sign out that services there are resuming this Sunday, but I also know it’s a small congregation and even if “everybody” came they’d be able to properly social distance, etc., because their Sanctuary is fairly large. I was just wondering if anywhere besides Utah in the CoJCoLDS had resumed and how it was going. I live in WI. We haven’t even begun to talk about going back to church. My impression is: the leadership wants to take a cautious approach.
I appreciate that.
I agree that the leadership is taking a cautious approach MM and also appreciate it 100%. I am sure part of their thinking is the increase in COVID cases in Utah since reopening, but I think other factors play a bigger role in that than church (although church likely does contribute). In NY we are clearly going in the other direction compared to Utah and those states that have seen recent increases and spikes in cases – but we’ve been doing things those states don’t seem to be for a long time (masks requiredin public, enforced social distancing*, etc.). Don’t get me wrong, I’m in no hurry to go back and plan to take a good hard look at what others are doing before I do (for example if I walk in and half the people aren’t wearing masks I’m walking back out). I do have three active children living in Utah but none of them have been to church – and they admittedly do not practice good COVID routines. :problem: *Except at protests, of course. Somehow they were given a pass. However, they were also publicly warned that they were putting themselves in danger, they were advised to be tested, and some have apparently been sickened as a result of exposure during the protests. And I am rational enough to get it, the police – who were already wrong no matter what – would have been wrong no matter what.
There is no talk of it starting yet here. We got a few emails stating the regional leaders are discussing it, and then we have not heard any more. With the new increased spikes in cases…I’m also guessing they go the route of cautious and continue to avoid SM through the summer. I live in northern Utah. My ward is going to start meetings this coming Sunday and every third Sunday after that. They are only doing 45min Sacrament meetings in two sessions with half the ward at a time. They aren’t “mandatory” and those 65+ and other high risk individuals are told to stay home. Heber13 wrote:
There is no talk of it starting yet here. We got a few emails stating the regional leaders are discussing it, and then we have not heard any more. With the new increased spikes in cases…I’m also guessing they go the route of cautious and continue to avoid SM through the summer.
This is also happening in my rural area of the Pacific NW. The leaders are discussing it.
Jabraso wrote:
I live in northern Utah. My ward is going to start meetings this coming Sunday and every third Sunday after that. They are only doing 45min Sacrament meetings in two sessions with half the ward at a time. They aren’t “mandatory” and those 65+ and other high risk individuals are told to stay home. Here are the additional precautions they’re taking.
Quote:Please note that the wearing of masks will be required by all who attend the meetings.
This requirement is there to protect everyone’s health and to help everyone feel safe. If you
do not have a mask, a free mask can be requested at
https://coronavirus.utah.gov/mask/ ormasks can be purchased at many local stores. A limited number of masks will be available at
each meeting, but there will not be enough for everyone.
In accordance with state and local guidelines, many modifications to the format of
sacrament meeting will be implemented to increase everyone’s safety. These include, but are
not limited to; closed off rows, gloves worn by those distributing the sacrament, limited contact
with sacrament trays and cleanings of the building between each meeting.
I don’t plan on going until masks aren’t required because I hate wearing them and don’t want to deal with keeping a mask on my young children.
My Daughter lives in Utah & tells me that the state in considered a hot zone for Covid infection. I don’t understand what the rush is to start
SM meetings. What if one PH holder blessing the sacrament is a carrier? He could infect a good part of the congregation. I personally will not
be going back until the leadership can talk about a detailed plan to keep the whole congregation safe.
We are in MI. My husband (who is the executive secretary) saw some discussions about it, but that was it here. He actually asked me if I had information on when we were starting up (which of course I didn’t – but sometimes I wind up hearing reliable rumors of plans). As a couple, we have already decided to opt out of church services until the fall (at the earliest) even when they start holding them.
Jabraso wrote:
I live in northern Utah. My ward is going to start meetings this coming Sunday and every third Sunday after that. They are only doing 45min Sacrament meetings in two sessions with half the ward at a time. They aren’t “mandatory” and those 65+ and other high risk individuals are told to stay home. Here are the additional precautions they’re taking.
Quote:Please note that the wearing of masks will be required by all who attend the meetings.
This requirement is there to protect everyone’s health and to help everyone feel safe. If you
do not have a mask, a free mask can be requested at
https://coronavirus.utah.gov/mask/ ormasks can be purchased at many local stores. A limited number of masks will be available at
each meeting, but there will not be enough for everyone.
In accordance with state and local guidelines, many modifications to the format of
sacrament meeting will be implemented to increase everyone’s safety. These include, but are
not limited to; closed off rows, gloves worn by those distributing the sacrament, limited contact
with sacrament trays and cleanings of the building between each meeting.
I don’t plan on going until masks aren’t required because I hate wearing them and don’t want to deal with keeping a mask on my young children.
I would hope that no singing is included in the modifications. Singing is bad, mask or no mask, and that coming from who really appreciates the hymns and thinks we should generally sing more.
If we have to wait a long time for no masks here. They’ve been a requirement in public for months and there’s no talk of changing that any time soon.
My ward has started – with very strict rules and only 45 minute Sacrament meetings. Recorded music is being played, with no singing. Sunday School is being held online.
Due largely to my job, I won’t be attending. Extreme care is mandated for us.
My job also has some rules/concerns which is another consideration for me. We are screened at the door each day, and we’re not exempt from the recently enacted quarantine rules when traveling to certain states. I don’t want to risk exposing myself and thus our clientele. We had the ward split into 3rds, with max 50 people signing up on their one of 3 rotating group signups. We got groups 1 and 2 to meet (less than 50) and then the SP put it all on hold given the surge in Covid cases in the area. I will admit that I had a bad dream (I can’t call it a nightmare because I didn’t wake up screaming) that church restarted in my ward and I went to arrive and find the chapel packed (stake conference packed), many people not wearing masks, all of the old people there, and (gasp!) they were singing. I had a momentary conundrum, what with my wife there and all, but after deciding what to do I left. That’s when I woke up, sorry I don’t know the outcome beyond that. (The dream did not include marshmallows or partaking the sacrament and my pillow was fine. 
DJ, you made me laugh out loud. Thank you. I needed that. I’m in Alberta, and my ward met in person for the first time last Sunday. About 40 people in total came. We’re meeting in a larger building than our regular building with a lot of precautions. No singing, entrance and exits on opposite sides of the building, every other pew blocked off, no meetings other than sacrament meeting, no carpooling with people outside your household unless absolutely necessary. Masks weren’t mandatory, though, and I wish they were. There was a box of disposable ones at the entrance, and almost everyone wore a mask, but a few didn’t. I’ve struggled a lot with the sacrament these last few months. The irony is that in supplying my own bread and water, it was the most involved I’ve ever been and likely ever will be in preparing the sacrament, but I also had next to no control over when I could take it. It was rarely a reminder of Christ and often a reminder of inequality. This week I cried with happiness when I took the sacrament. It started with a hymn (just played on the organ since singing is banned), which I had sorely missed. And for the first time in almost 4 months it didn’t matter that I’m a woman and that I don’t live with a priesthood-bearing man. For the first time in almost 4 months I had the same access as the elder’s quorum president and the bishop’s wife and my friends who live with their parents. There is still plenty of inequality and I don’t mean to sweep it under the rug. But I was so happy that finally, once again, the sacrament was a sweet moment instead of a bitter one.
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