LA Phase 3 & GSC

On Tuesday, March 2, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards announced very good news. Beginning Wednesday, March 3, Louisiana will return to Phase 3 of COVID-19 restrictions. Louisiana last moved to Phase 3 in September 2020, but then returned to Phase 2 in November 2020 because of increased hospitalizations due to a resurgence in corona virus positivity rates.

What does Phase 3 mean for Louisiana?

A summary of changes include:

• Most businesses, including restaurants and salons, will move from 50% capacity to 75% capacity
• Indoor gatherings and events (e.g., theaters, arenas, etc.) will cap at 50% or 250 persons
• Gyms will remain at 50% capacity
• Bars will be allowed to reopen for indoor service at up to 25% capacity and must continue to end alcohol sales at 11:00 PM nightly
  
• Houses of Worship will no longer have any capacity constraints, however the mask mandate continues to be in effect and social distancing continues to be strongly recommended

What does Phase 3 mean for Good Shepherd Church?

In an email communication sent to Bishop Clark at the Anglican Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast, and CC'd to the Good Shepherd Church Council, Fr. Randall+ has stated that at this time, nothing will change with regard to how GSC is responding to the pandemic.

• GSC will continue to rope off every other pew, effectively keeping our sanctuary capacity at 50%.
• We will continue to encourage parishioners to take advantage of attending our smaller worship gathering at 8:30 on Sunday mornings as an alternative to the more robustly attended 10:00 AM service.
  
• Worshipers will continue to be encouraged to sit in household clusters and clusters will continue to be encouraged to distance from others at 6 feet.
• Masks will continue to be required at all events, including worship services and may only be removed in the chancel area while speaking or reading at the pulpit or lectern, or by congregants when receiving Holy Communion.
  
  

Please continue to pray for our church, our local community, our state, our nation, and the world as we begin to see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel of this global pandemic.