On its official website, the Hong Kong Christian Council published guidelines for the resumption of worship services for both Orthodox and Protestant churches on May 19, 2020. The guidelines provide information on preparations churches need to do so they can safely reopen. Following are the specific instructions on what churches need to do in order to resume gathering.
The guideline is as follows:
1. Preparation for churches
1.1 Keep the church and gathering place clean and well-ventilated.
1.2 Regularly clean and disinfect seats and objects.
1.3 The number of attendees cannot be more than half of the building’s seating capacity.
1.4 Clean and disinfect the seats and shared areas as soon as possible after the conclusion of the worship service.
1.5 Participants must inform the management staff at the church immediately if they feel unwell.
2. Instructions for Entering the Church Premises
2.1 Before entering the church, you must first take your temperature (if you have a fever, you can be refused to enter the church), wash your hands with a sanitizer, and put on a mask.
2.2 Wear a mask throughout the gathering.
2.3 Follow the directions of ushers on where to sit.
2.4 Those attending for the first time are required to leave their names and contact information and provide health information.
3. The arrangements during worship services
3.1 To reduce public contact, believers are encouraged to bring their own Bibles. Programs and hymns are shared by projection or electronically.
3.2 Except for the sacrament, no meals are provided in the church.
3.3 Greet each other by nodding or clasping one hand in the other in front of your chest.
3.4 During communion, the officiating pastor and co-workers must first clean their hands, wear masks and gloves when they distribute communion wafers (provided in small cups),
or use a utensil to distribute the elements. The church may carry out the communion ceremony in accordance with its tradition.
3.5 To avoid social contact or gathering together, temporarily reduce activities after the worship service until the restriction order ends.
3.6 If after attending the worship service there are persons who test positive for COVID-19, they should immediately announce it in the church and notify the Department of Health.
3.7 Worship services may include arrangements for children and
youth according to their ages and classes.
4. The additional information is available from the Center for Health Protection responsible for religious gatherings.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
香港基督教协进会发布“恢复崇拜聚会指引”
日前，香港基督教协进会于官网发布了“向全港基督教和正教会教堂就恢复崇拜聚会指引”，包括教堂的预备，进入教堂时的防疫，崇拜聚会的安排等几个方面的信息，为教会恢复聚会做出了很好的引导。
旨在为“指引”的具体内容：
1.教堂的预备
1.1保持教堂及聚会场地清洁及空气流通；
1.2座位及物件定时清洁消毒；
1.3出席人数为教会场所可容纳人数的一半或以下；
1.4崇拜聚会后尽快将座位及共用地方进行清洁消毒；
1.5参加人员如有身体不适须立即通知教会负责人。
2.进入教堂时的防疫
2.1凡进入教堂必须先量度体温（如发现有发烧，可被拒进入教堂），用消毒液洁手及放置口罩；
2.2会议时要全程佩戴口罩；
2.3由教堂当值人士指示就座；
2.4首次参加该教会聚会者需留下姓名和联络方式，并宣布健康状况。
3.崇拜聚会的安排
3.1为减少公共物品的接触，鼓励信徒自备圣经，程序及诗歌可安排以投影或电子版本展示；
3.2除圣餐礼外，教堂内暂不安排饮食；
3.3以拱手或点头方式彼此问安；
3.4圣餐礼时主礼及襄礼者须先洁手，对准口罩，戴上手套派饼杯（可用二合一装）；或以夹/钳分配饼或安排信徒只领圣体。 /教会可按其圣餐礼仪传统自行决定以其他方式安排；
3.5为避免社交接触或聚众，崇拜聚会后暂时减少安排其他活动，直到“限聚令”结束；
3.6如敬拜聚会后得悉有出席人士确诊感染，应立即在教会公布并通知卫生署；
3.7儿童及青少年崇拜聚会可按中学，小学及幼儿园分阶段复课后陆续安排。
4.其他安排可参考卫生防护中心给宗教聚会的健康指引。
香港基督教协进会
2020年5月19日
On its official website, the Hong Kong Christian Council published guidelines for the resumption of worship services for both Orthodox and Protestant churches on May 19, 2020. The guidelines provide information on preparations churches need to do so they can safely reopen. Following are the specific instructions on what churches need to do in order to resume gathering.
The guideline is as follows:
1. Preparation for churches
1.1 Keep the church and gathering place clean and well-ventilated.
1.2 Regularly clean and disinfect seats and objects.
1.3 The number of attendees cannot be more than half of the building’s seating capacity.
1.4 Clean and disinfect the seats and shared areas as soon as possible after the conclusion of the worship service.
1.5 Participants must inform the management staff at the church immediately if they feel unwell.
2. Instructions for Entering the Church Premises
2.1 Before entering the church, you must first take your temperature (if you have a fever, you can be refused to enter the church), wash your hands with a sanitizer, and put on a mask.
2.2 Wear a mask throughout the gathering.
2.3 Follow the directions of ushers on where to sit.
2.4 Those attending for the first time are required to leave their names and contact information and provide health information.
3. The arrangements during worship services
3.1 To reduce public contact, believers are encouraged to bring their own Bibles. Programs and hymns are shared by projection or electronically.
3.2 Except for the sacrament, no meals are provided in the church.
3.3 Greet each other by nodding or clasping one hand in the other in front of your chest.
3.4 During communion, the officiating pastor and co-workers must first clean their hands, wear masks and gloves when they distribute communion wafers (provided in small cups),
or use a utensil to distribute the elements. The church may carry out the communion ceremony in accordance with its tradition.
3.5 To avoid social contact or gathering together, temporarily reduce activities after the worship service until the restriction order ends.
3.6 If after attending the worship service there are persons who test positive for COVID-19, they should immediately announce it in the church and notify the Department of Health.
3.7 Worship services may include arrangements for children and
youth according to their ages and classes.
4. The additional information is available from the Center for Health Protection responsible for religious gatherings.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Hong Kong Christian Council Releases Guidelines for Resuming Worship Services
