With the start of COVID-19 vaccination in our communities, we are beginning the long road back toward normalcy. Still, he has reservations about preaching that from the pulpit. A decision by federal officials to use updated COVID-19 vaccines was not made because Nov. 26 Limited Christmas lights beginning turning on in the evenings on Temple Square; attendees at any event on Temple Square are required to wear masks and be vaccinated if in the eligible age categories. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. Kimber Young, top center, teaches training missionaries Mandarin Chinese via video conferencing at the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, March 25, 2020. President Russell M. Nelson receives a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Salt Lake County Health Department in Salt Lake City on Jan. 19, 2021. PFLEGER: She remembers turning off the livestream dismayed. Broughton emphasized this, I need to continue to have conversations with the congregation. Dec. 10 BYUHawaii holds first in-person graduation ceremony since pandemic began, with Elder Carl B. Cook of the Presidency of the Seventy offering the commencement address. Their congregants are among the most vaccine-hesitant, and the states along the Bible Here are two stories about the pandemic-related leadership of religious leaders, including President Nelson: Empathy, gratitude, optimism, action: 22 times President Nelson provided leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. 2023. And thats the only way you can take care of people these days is doing these simple things.. June 25 First Presidency announces dates for the open house and rededication of the Mesa Arizona Temple to be held in November and December. Church-owned Brigham Young University in Utah has asked students to report their vaccination status but is not requiring vaccinations. Missionaries of the China Hong Kong Mission gather at the airport as they prepare to depart as part of the missions February 2020 evacuation plan due to growing coronavirus concerns, as shown in a photo courtesy of President Dennis L. Phillips. We are proud to announce that our biosafety center of excellence based in Glasgow has received the prestigious Business Leadership Award at Scotland's Life Sciences Annual Awards 2023, with a 10 million investment, to support the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccines throughout 2021 and 2022. Dear Members of the Gonzaga University Community, In March of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced government officials worldwide to limit or close many workplaces (including universities), none of us had any idea how protracted or complex Message to Community Regarding COVID-19 Vaccines (4/25/23) April 25, 2023. A lack of information, general distrust of vaccines and conspiracy theories emerged as the predominant sentiments. Among other denominations in the U.S., faith leaders have varied widely in how they address the issues of vaccinations and mask wearing. Feb. 4 Church transfers missionaries out of the China Hong Kong Mission. Before our church attendees gather, we can ask them to modify their behaviors to reduce their risk of exposure to the COVID-19. Just 3 percent of all Covid-19 vaccine doses delivered in 2021 went to Africa, home to a fifth of the worlds population, according to the World Health Organization. Jan. 19 Senior Church leaders receive COVID-19 vaccines, encourage members to safeguard themselves and others through immunization. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Will their legacy survive todays partisanship? But later, sitting amid the rows of empty plastic folding chairs, he's more cool-headed. The First Presidency outlined, in a letter dated May 19, plans to resume some meetings and activities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on a limited basis using a careful, phased approach. This includes the administration of the sacrament. If these virus variants become more common in our communities as anticipated, then we need the suggestions below even more to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in our churches. In consulting with four churches in my home city of Seattle to plan for this transition, I've seen leaders struggle with the complex issues before them. As COVID-19 vaccines are rolled out, many churchgoers are in a lower priority group for vaccination, and some may never be vaccinated either by choice or due to health reasons. Dec. 16 President Nelson shares worldwide Christmas message via social media inviting all to help others feel the Saviors love. The project, completed in mid-2021, A nontraditional returned missionary just took second place in the Ukrainian national TV version of The Voice. Nice short story from my colleague, Trent Toone. If members have concerns, they should counsel with competent medical professionals and also seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost.. March 6 Nonnative Korean missionaries return home; Seattle Washington Temple first in U.S. to close as Washington reports highest state death toll to date. For NPR News, I'm Paige Pfleger in Nashville. COVAX has now provided COVID-19 vaccines to people in 119 countries. April 17 First Presidency releases new administrative principles for the Church; President Nelson expresses gratitude on social media to those who fasted. April 8 Utah Area Presidency asks local leaders to develop a plan to return to in-person Church meetings. Dec. 5 Elder Dale G. Renlund and his wife, Sister Ruth Renlund, test positive for COVID-19. April 27 Tabernacle Choirs 2020 European tour postponed a year. To navigate this transition period, I will explain how COVID-19 vaccination influences decisions about church gatherings and provide five suggestions that can help churches develop a plan to regather as vaccination coverage increases. ]. May 19 First Presidency announces some meetings, activities to resume. Our congregants can lower this risk by reducing their close contact with others (defined as being within six feet of another person for at least 15 minutes) and increasing the use of face masks, physical distancing, and well-ventilated spaces when meeting with others. March 13 U.S. declares national emergency. Oct. 19 John Sai Keong Kauwe III is officially installed as the 11th president of Brigham Young UniversityHawaii after COVID-19 delayed the inauguration in 2020. Therefore, my suggestions remain relevant even with the spread of these variants. Given that our church activities facilitate virus spread, there is still a high risk of transmission between the unvaccinated and even between unvaccinated and vaccinated congregants. Accuracy and availability may vary. Nov. 22 The Church donates cold chain equipment to help preserve COVID-19 vaccines in Panama. ,and , Feb. 4 Utah Area Presidency updates COVID-19 safety measures and returns to September 2020 guidelines; Latter-day Saint Charities provides 30 million meals to children in nine developing countries. Sept. 3-12 With his assignment to the Europe Area, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles becomes the first senior Church leader to travel internationally since March 2020. All Rights Reserved, President Russell M. Nelson and the COVID-19 vaccine: What the church leader has said and done, 22 examples of President Nelsons pandemic-related leadership, D. Michael Quinn, who wrote 10 books on Latter-day Saint history, dies at 77, For first time, church to hold Face to Face event for single adults 31 and older, Church membership withdrawn after Latter-day Saint council for therapist, See the churchs new infographic about supporting single adult Latter-day Saints, Historic Latter-day Saint sites to begin reopening in May, including Latter-day Saint missionaries traveling abroad, An innovative dress shirt company from a man who hates dress shirts, an analysis of Supreme Court rulings favoring religious rights, 5 interesting documents and images from the latest Joseph Smith Papers. Elder Chi Hong (Sam) Wong, Sister Carol Wong, Sister Susan Gong, Elder Gerrit W. Gong, Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela and Sister Silvia Valenzuela stand for a portrait at the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple in Winnipeg, Canada, Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021. Credit: Daniel Crump, for the Deseret News. Church-owned Brigham Young University in Utah has asked students to report their vaccination status but is not requiring vaccinations. Men and women work at Beehive Clothing in Salt Lake City, Utah, where surgical gowns are being made during the COVID-19 pandemic on Friday, May 15, 2020. PFLEGER: But there's no evidence that's true. Locke put up a vinyl sign facing the street that says, Global Vision is a mask-free church that celebrates faith over fear. The risk of exposure to the virus is simply sharing the air that other people breathe. Although churches may choose to gather only when both vaccinated and unvaccinated congregants can mix safely together, there is an option to gather earlier with just vaccinated congregants. The church can provide guidelines, but it is up to individuals to adhere to them.. Why? April 14 First Presidency announces more than 110 COVID-19 relief projects in 57 countries. Because vaccinated congregants are protected from serious COVID-19 complications, it is much safer for them to gather indoors even when the infection rate in the community is high. My colleague Kelsey Dallas conducted an analysis of Supreme Court rulings favoring religious rights. Nov. 1 Church announces the return of #LightTheWorld Giving Machines in 10 U.S. cities; Family History Library expands its hours to Saturdays and evenings. Five science-based suggestions to gather and worship safely as COVID-19 vaccines roll out. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news, held three consecutive major conferences remotely. Disease control experts have long recognized the importance of behavioral change in helping people reduce their risk of exposure to an infectious agent. In March 2020, church leaders suspended all church gatherings and closed Two weeks later, on March 25, President Russell M. Nelson and his counselors,President Dallin H. OaksandPresident Henry B. Eyring,announced all temples would close. LOCKE: People are like, how can you be so sure of yourself? Only when the infection rate declines to a lower level will the risk of transmission between congregants also decline and then in-person gatherings can safely resume (see lower figure). May 24 Church announces Provo, Ghana and New Zealand MTCs will resume limited on-site training in late June; new missionary training will be both online and on-site. PFLEGER: In late July, the coronavirus spread rapidly through the pews at First Baptist Gallatin outside of Nashville. In March 2020, church leaders suspended all church gatherings and closed temples. One member, Marie Johnson, said she has been disappointed that so many in her community have heeded misinformation on social media rather than church leaderships continued calls for vaccination. Feb. 27 First Presidency discourages leaders, members from international travels to April general conference; Church statement reports 14 missions across 17 countries undergoing changes; Fukuoka Japan Temple and Sapporo Japan Temple to close. On one hand we do not want to separate people; on the other hand people want to meet as soon as possible., But the church leaders I talked with generally believe it is possible to set up gatherings just for those who have been vaccinated. On Jan. 19, 2021, eight senior Church leaders received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Nurse Marie St. Jean administers a COVID-19 vaccination to Rev. Feb. 19 Jerold Ottley, longtime Tabernacle Choir director, dies at age 86 from COVID-19-related illness. Dec. 7 First Presidency announces the first four temples moving to Phase 3, reopening for proxy work. The Church urges its members, employees and missionaries to be good global citizens and help quell the pandemic by safeguarding themselves and others through immunization, the First Presidency wrote in a statement. Still, other conservative leaders have pushed back against vaccine skepticism, and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), a childhood polio survivor, has openly During this transition period in the US, how should church leaders decide on in-person gatherings for their churches? Aug. 30 First Presidency announces new dates for the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple public house and dedication to be held in October. The others were his counselors in the First Presidency, Presidents Dallin H. Oaks and Henry B. Eyring; the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, President M. Russell Ballard; and Elders Jeffrey R. Holland, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Quentin L. Cook and D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Under President Nelsons leadership, the church in February gave $20 million through Latter-day Saint Charities to support COVAX, a global campaign to As more information becomes available or clearer guidelines emerge, the thresholds in the table may need to be adjusted. An easy first step would be small groups for vaccinated individuals. Church leaders said in a statement that available vaccines have proven to be both safe and effective and urged members to This will undoubtedly influence a churchs decision to gather. June 24 Provo MTC welcomes first new missionaries in 15 months. received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, 2 years of COVID-19: President Ballards message of optimism as the pandemic rages on, missionaries out of the China Hong Kong Mission, information about missionary work, temple work and worship services, discourages leaders, members from international travels, Rome Italy Temple first in Europe to close, 17 countries cancelling or limiting Sunday worship services, Nonnative Korean missionaries return home, suspended on Church-owned college campuses, Utah will restrict gatherings of more than 100 people, cancels concerts and makes changes to broadcasts, additional information regarding temple adjustments, Nonnative missionaries in the Philippines, Church distribution retail stores reduce hours, Nonnative missionaries in 26 African missions and the Micronesia Guam Mission, April general conference to be held from small auditorium, substantial numbers of missionaries will return to home countries, Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple, Bountiful Utah Temple, shortened length of service for missionaries, follow President Nelsons invitation to fast, President Nelson calls for a second worldwide fast, more than 110 COVID-19 relief projects in 57 countries, new administrative principles for the Church, treks and Church pageants canceled for 2020, to COVID-19 relief efforts across the U.S, reintegration of Church worship and activities, announces some meetings, activities to resume, Washington D.C. Temple open house, dedication dates, 12 temples first to enter phase 2 of reopening plan, announce cancellation of annual Christmas concert, guidelines for safely increasing Church activity, assigning missionaries beyond home countries. Sept. 22 First Presidency directs Latter-day Saints worldwide to wear masks in temples, again urges vaccination. general conference returns to the Conference Center auditorium, will return at full scale beginning in 2022, officially installed as the 11th president of Brigham Young UniversityHawaii, first live Sunday broadcast of Music & the Spoken Word, the annual family history celebration ExpoGenealoga, the return of #LightTheWorld Giving Machines in 10 U.S. cities, open house and dedication dates for Rio de Janiero Brazil Temple, is likely not infectious, health officials report, announces upcoming Christmas concert plans, endorses the use of COVID-19 vaccine boosters, First Presidencys annual Christmas devotional, first in-person graduation ceremony since pandemic began. Dec. 12 The Mesa Arizona Temple is dedicated by President Oaks. The most trusted members of many communities are in our churches. Dec. 3 BYU Womens Conference announces it will take a one-year pause as options are explored for 2023. Get the best from CT editors, delivered straight to your inbox! Nov. 5-8 FamilySearch Geraes, a virtual family history event in Portuguese, is hosted in Brazil. Activities that carry a higher risk of airborne COVID-19 transmission should start only when infection rate is low, while those with a lower risk can start at a higher infection rate. More important than words are actions. She uncovered some interesting findings and interviewed people on both sides of the issue. March 11 First Presidency announces public will not be admitted to the Conference Center for April general conference; missionaries scheduled to enter MTCs in Provo, Utah, or Preston, England, to be trained remotely; stake and leadership conferences, other large gatherings to be postponed in affected areas; large gatherings suspended on Church-owned college campuses; Asuncin Paraguay Temple first in Latin America to close after country suspends large-scale public events. Nov. 20 President Nelson shares worldwide message on the healing power of gratitude and invites all to #GiveThanks. Faith leaders can boost vaccine confidence in their communities by getting vaccinated in public and participating in vaccine education campaigns. It is fair to ask people to mitigate their risk for the sake of others. June 11 For the Strength of Youth (FSY) conferences scheduled to resume summer 2022 after two years of being postponed. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. August 12, 2021. The outbreak could have been much worse, but he says they were lucky. April 25, 2023. Given that infection rates have skyrocketed in the last few months in many areas, it will be a while before infection rates decline to a level that will permit indoor gatherings for unvaccinated congregants. Feb. 25-27 All-virtual RootsTech Connect draws more than 1.1 million participants from 242 countries and territories. Although experts are not certain vaccination will prevent the spread of COVID-19, there is a very good chance that vaccines will reduce at least some (if not most) COVID-19 transmission. Then, as circumstances allowed and opportunities arose, they also found ways for members to safely gather, for temple work to be performed and for missionaries to share the gospel message. Since the spread of these COVID-19 variants could delay the time to reach herd immunity, the need for our churches to have plans on how and when to gather is greater than ever. The Assembly Hall, Tabernacle, Church History Library and Joseph Smith Memorial Building also reopen. Charity and Mollie McClure of the Oakley 1st Ward, Oakley Idaho Stake, watch the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Annual General Conference on April 5, 2020. These are being self-managed by the members themselves. When we gather with others in our churches, we can love our brothers and sisters by protecting them from the harm of this virus. Fortunately, most scientists believe current COVID-19 vaccines should remain effective against these variants. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Feb. 12 Utah Area Presidency again updates COVID-19 safety measures with focus on Primary children, meetings and activities. Web274 likes, 40 comments - Jamaica Observer (@jamaicaobserver) on Instagram: "There were mixed views among some Jamaican church leaders on the taking of the COVID-19 A church that earlier denied the severity of COVID-19 changed its messaging after an outbreak. Aug. 3 The more contagious Delta variant is rapidly increasing, accounting for an estimated 93.4% of coronavirus circulating in the U.S. during the last two weeks of July, according to figures published by the CDC. In countries like the US where the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines began last December, experts predict it will be fall before vaccination coverage reaches 7090 percent and herd immunity can hopefully be achieved. I can see the same with vaccinated members. Brenner added, We need to work to ensure that vaccination does not end up dividing existing groups., In general, the idea of a parallel structure for both vaccinated and unvaccinated congregants seems to resonate with these leaders. The handbook update reemphasized the First Presidencys consistent direction since at least 1978. Missionaries who are not fully vaccinated are also unable to receive an assignment outside of their home country. Daniel Chin is a physician trained in pulmonary and critical care medicine and epidemiology with 25 years of global public health experience. Is this somebody that is wrong for me to follow? 2023. LOCKE: And the facts embolden me. Where this information is coming from makes a big difference to them. Is faith the key to herd immunity? Made me miss walking up to the Conference Center for general conference and passing people seeking free tickets to enter a session. Jan. 21 First Presidency announces April 2021 general conference will be conducted virtually, marking the third-straight virtual conference. Sarah Jane Weaver hosted Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf on her podcast to talk about applying the lessons learned about missionary work during the pandemic. Oct. 30-31 ExpoGenealoga, a virtual family history event in Spanish, is hosted in Mexico. Well, I can't give up all my sources. A Relief Society sister from Bucaramanga, Colombia, crafts face masks as part of a local service project to protect others from COVID-19. That's the approach many leaders of white evangelical churches are taking. The photo is one she included as a submission to the Church History Departments project of documenting missionary experiences during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, which drew 7,000 online entries from missionaries and mission leaders worldwide. Nov. 7 The Pocatello Idaho Temple is dedicated by President Ballard. 1 of 3. March 2 Elder Soares and other Church leaders speak in special devotional for Native Americans, many of whom have been hit particularly hard by COVID-19. Feb. 26 Latter-day Saint Charities announces $20 million donation to support UNICEFs COVID-19 vaccination efforts. The common perception of Mormons and Mormonism is that when church leaders speak, church members listen and do what theyre told, said Mason. PAULA GREENE: I got so upset. Other church members are upset that their leaders arent letting them exercise their own decision-making about vaccines and masks. Adam Klekowski, executive pastor at Flood Church in San Diego, doesn't doubt that some among his politically diverse congregation of 700 to 800 are refusing to be vaccinated. Message to Community Regarding COVID-19 Vaccines (4/25/23) April 25, 2023. Eight senior leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday morning in Salt Lake City.
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