As parishes prepare their plans to reopen for public worship following the guidelines discussed in Bishop McConnell’s May 15 message, you may be wondering what this means for tenants and outside organizations who use our parish buildings as meeting spaces and as hubs for their own mission and ministry. Certainly, just as we have felt a sense of loss over not being able to gather on Sunday mornings, the Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, 12-Steppers, and others for whom our facilities serve as centers of community and service have also been struggling.
While eager to reopen our doors to these groups, we must take care to do so in a way that protects both their health and the health of our parish families. To that end, parish leaders are encouraged to review Reopening Churches in our COVID-19 Context, consider how the guidelines contained therein apply to each group, and decide what conditions groups must agree to before resuming their use of parish facilities. A COVID-19 Acknowledgement form, such as the sample provided here (as a Word document), may be used to record an external group’s agreement to those conditions, as well as their acceptance of responsibility in the event of any unintended exposure to the virus.
In a May 27 email, parish wardens, treasurers, and clergy also received sample insurance and indemnification requirements that can be incorporated in formal building usage agreements going forward.