Springs churches respond to threat of pandemic

Don't expect hugs or handshakes at some Colorado Springs churches this Sunday - or for the next few Sundays, at least. And forget about drinking from a common chalice during communion at Catholic churches and some Protestant worship centers.

Churches may offer sanctuary from a lot of life's problems, but not from the swine flu virus. So many religious leaders are asking congregants to alter worship practices that can be unwitting transmitters of contagious illnesses.

Thursday, the Catholic Diocese of Colorado Springs issued a statement to the 43 churches it oversees asking that parishioners forgo sharing the communion cup and limit physical contact when greeting one another. The last time the diocese sent out a similar churchwide memo was during the avian flu scare in 2006.

"We try to be proactive and take precautionary steps," said Doug Flinn, diocese general counsel and chief of staff.

Some Protestant churches are also stepping up awareness on hygiene issues.

At Mountain View Wesleyan Church in Colorado Springs, the Rev. Kevin Goos has reminded staff to maintain high health standards in the church nursery, used by 60 or so children each Sunday. "We make sure we use cleaners that are up to commercial standards," Goos said. "We don't want parents to worry about their children."

The Rev. Scott Seder, of High Plains Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Calhan, plans to instruct his 35 congregants Sunday about basic hygiene. "I will advise them to be more careful," Seder said.

Not all churches have altered their routines, however. A parish nurse at Grace and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church downtown is examining ways to protect congregants from the spread of swine flu, but as of Friday, they'll still be sharing the common cup during communion.

"We haven't seen the threat level rise in this area to a point where we would change it," the Rev. Martin Pearsall said.

David Wendel, pastor at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Colorado Springs and local spokesman for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, said ELCA pastors will not attempt to sway congregants from participating in the shared communion cup. Wendel's reasoning is based on faith, not the fact that only two cases have been confirmed in Colorado.

"How would the Lord allow someone to become sick?" Wendel said. "His healing presence would keep us from being infected by it."

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