Flu fears abating, church OK’s resuming rituals
As fears of the swine flu fade, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is urging parishes to reinstitute two venerated rituals, passing the communion chalice and passing the peace, by Palm Sunday in late March. In an e-mail sent late Wednesday to its 291 parishes, the archdiocese announced it would soon be safe to resume the liturgical practices,
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Sunday school takes temperatures to sweep for swine flu
President Obama has declared the swine flu a national emergency. And now, some church goers are taking it seriously. In fact, they're taking temperatures to see who can get in the door. Its all about preventing the H1N1 strain in kids. While some parents like the precaution, there are those that
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Churches, synagogues taking steps to prevent spread of H1N1 virus
In the small chapel at Christ Church in Andover, a bottle of hand sanitizer sits next to the hosts and wine to be distributed at Communion. The image might seem odd, but it's becoming more and more common in churches and synagogues throughout the Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire, as
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Worshipers, Faith Leaders Take Cues From Federal Officials on Warding Off Swine Flu
The White House and federal health officials have released guidelines recommending that worshipers take precautions against spreading germs to reduce the risk of contracting swine flu. Marilyn Meyers, a member of Washington National Cathedral, already had thought about the health risks involved in her
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Church fighting spread of flu
The Altoona-Johnstown Roman Catholic Diocese is suspending the use of wine for Holy Communion and the practice of handshaking, at least temporarily, as a measure to prevent the spread of swine flu. The measures take effect by the weekend of Oct. 17-18, said Tony DeGol, secretary for communications. “The
Churches consider precautions against swine flu
ALBANY — Eucharistic ministers at St. James Roman Catholic Church this Sunday will clean their hands with anti-bacterial lotion before distributing Communion. Over at Christ Church United Methodist in Troy, hand sanitizers will be installed. The Rev. Nina Nichols plans to hand out Communion herself. These
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Passing Peace At Church Could Mean Passing The Swine Flu
Omaha, NE: From sharing a handshake to sharing a communal cup, churches are relying on more than prayer to protect themselves from Swine Flu. A sign of peace is passed by a simple handshake. A handshake that could also be passing the flu. So some churches are taking action to protect their congregations. Parishioners
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Diocese issues guidelines for preventing spread of H1N1 Influenza
On Sept. 30, the Catholic Diocese of Fargo issued liturgical guidelines for clergy and parishioners encouraging voluntary actions that should assist in preventing the spread of H1N1 Influenza. In the Catholic Church, parishioners may receive Holy Communion under the form of consecrated bread, known as
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London diocese preps for H1N1
The Roman Catholic Diocese of London has "a pandemic plan in place" to prevent the spread of the H1N1 pandemic flu virus, Bishop Ronald Fabbro announced Tuesday. In a letter to parishioners, Fabbro said his diocese has received "many inquiries" about the diocese’s prevention
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Sanitizer, common sense aid Oklahoma churches in flu fight Read more
From Buddhists to Baptists, Oklahoma City metro houses of worship are making efforts to prevent the spread of swine flu or H1N1, but religious leaders said most people are taking their own precautions. For Quail Springs Baptist Church, that meant the placement this week of large dispensers of hand sanitizers
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Winnipeg churches ban handshakes over H1N1
The Catholic Archdiocese of Winnipeg has banned handshaking between church-goers over concerns it could lead people to contract the H1N1 influenza virus, also known as swine flu. In a statement Thursday, Archbishop James Weisgerber said all city Catholic churches and schools are now in "Stage 1"
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Churches adapt to the threat of the H1N1 virus
Fargo, ND (WDAY TV) – Churches are taking extra pre-cautions to keep the deadly swine flu from affecting more communities in our area. Person-to-person contact is the easiest way to spread the virus, leaving Sunday mornings a prime-time to get sick. “We are mindful of the fact that this is
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Worship practices bend to slow H1N1
Minnesota’s churches and other places of worship have become the newest front in the battle against the flu. As the H1N1 virus spreads, the state’s Council on Faith and Community Service Initiatives urged Friday that worship practices — including communion — be changed as a precaution
Churches Step Up Precautions Against Swine Flu
When swine flu concerns peaked in late April and early May, sales of a combination of sealed juice and individually wrapped communion wafers soared. eChurch Depot, the Camp Hill, Pa., based online distributor of church supplies reported a brisk business. June through August sales of the juice and wrapped
Praying for their health
The First Baptist Church of Ken-Gar is traditionally a "hugging congregation." But to slow the spread of germs, especially the H1N1 flu virus, the Rev. Carl Davis said he has urged his flock to make do with a wave and a smile. "It makes it kind of hard because we want to be about hugging,
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