Influenza Preparedness

For a number of years the CRC has had a Pandemic Preparedness Committee. 

Under the leadership of the CRWRC this committee has worked to gather resources that will help churches in the event of a flu pandemic.

To contact the committee please e-mail pandemic@crwrc.org.

Congregations

Given the variety of churches within North America any pandemic plan needs to be flexible and adaptable; a ‘one-size-fits-all’ template for pandemic planning may not be flexible enough to encompass the variety of churches in North America.

Rather than creating a template for churches to follow, this resource website has been created where a variety of material can be easily accessed by churches. The information contained here is by no means exhaustive but is meant to be a starting point for church planning.

General Information on Influenza

download a pdf of this information

Conversation starters:

• Do we know who our healthcare professional and spiritual care congregants are?
• Do we know who in our Regional Health Authority to contact regarding their emergency plan?
• Who in our congregation relates to other neighbourhood churches/faith groups? What are these groups, interfaiths, ministerial, community resource centres?
• In what ways could a pandemic impact our congregation?
• How do we mobilize existing Care Groups or other groups instead of creating new caring structures?
• Do we know who our own typically vulnerable congregants are, where they live? Do we have current contact lists, and a way of keeping them current? Contact List
• Who outside our congregation depends on us for services, programs, other resources or support? How will we stay supportive?
• Who are our neighbours – those near our church (church neighbourhood neighbours), those in our own residential neighbourhood? Both?
• How do we intentionally get to know our vulnerable neighbours? Before an emergency event?
• Which congregants are available as back-up for pastors, custodian and administrative assistant in the event some of them are ill in a pandemic? How do we help take care of them and their families/children during such a time of stress to church leadership?
• Will we close our doors until a pandemic is over?
• Will we continue to do only spiritual ministry and curtail other church and community programs? Will we do only humanitarian things? Or combine them?
• Will we reach out broadly, or will we minister only to our own people?
• Will we work by ourselves, with sister churches or with the community?
• What different methods are available to communicate with congregants and with neighbours, reliably, accurately and in a timely way, when normal communication is curtailed?
   

Other Faith Plans

>> Are You Ready for a Health Emergency?
Congregational Ministry Guidelines for Worship from the United Church of Canada 
Things like shaking hands by greeters, before and after a service, the passing of the peace, communion—especially if a common cup and loaf are used—all of these things are risks for contracting or communicating the flu. This site gives ideas for how churches can do to prepare for a pandemic.

>> Anglican Diocese of Toronto Pandemic Response Plan 
The Anglican Diocese of Toronto is one of a few groups that have actual experience with a pandemic emergency, having dealt with the SARS crisis in 2003. This site contains their Pandemic Response Plan, as well as information about Transmission of Disease via the Common Cup, SARS Protocol, Liturgical Protocols, Influenza fact sheet and a Faith Group Planning Template.

>> Bridges of Love Pandemic Preparedness
This web site by Marg Pollon seeks to help Christians expand beyond self-interest to the show care for the greater concerns of the community and world around them—including pandemic preparations and response.