Guidance to bishoprics after the Governor calls for a "pause" in social gatherings

7 November 2020

TO: Bishoprics and Branch Presidencies in the Mount Hood Stake

Brethren,

We recognize there may be concerns about continuing with in-person sacrament services following the governor's announcement yesterday.

Unless we are directed otherwise by our Area Seventy and/or the Area Presidency, the stake presidency has counseled together and feel to continue meeting as we are for several reasons:

1. The governor did not include religious services as part of the two-week "pause" presumably because the latest Covid outbreaks have not come from churches where safety is a priority;
   
   
2. The greatest concern is with "informal social gatherings" in homes where safety precautions are seldom taken and with many businesses where contact tracing is all but impossible;
   
   
3. We continue to conduct hybrid services so members can choose whether to attend in person or virtually.

We appreciate you continuing to take every safety precaution in conducting sacrament meetings and administering the sacrament afterwards. Please make sure your clerk or Covid-19 Supervisor continues to keep a list of all who attend in person each Sunday for the purpose of contact tracing.

Feel free to draw from this email or forward it in your communications to your leaders or members. 

Gratefully,

President Lewis and the Stake Presidency