To suggest that the tradition of sharing the peace needs to change?

[Ironoaks]

Anglican church. New vicar who has reintroduced the tradition of sharing the peace by shaking hands. I've attended this church for nearly ten years and we hadn't observed this tradition before.

For those unfamiliar with the practice, this involves shaking hands with a couple of dozen different people.

I have two issues with this:

1. Infection control. It's cold & flu season. Our congregation includes the elderly and frail. In times past, people tended to mostly stay within their own parish, but our congregation on Christmas day included people who had recently travelled from Italy, the Netherlands, Ireland, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Immediately after sharing the peace, the service moves into communion, which involves eating bread from your hand. I've started nipping out to wash my hands between the peace and communion, but it's not feasible for everyone to do this. I've seen a couple of people discreetly using hand sanitiser, but that's a lot less effective that hand washing, especially for viruses.

2. Some people don't feel comfortable having physical contact with people they don't know. I know of two young people who now avoid attending church because the sharing of the peace makes them feel so uncomfortable.

Should the sharing of the peace by shaking hands be re-evaluated?

I try to get in the queue first if the chalice is out. Alternative church I go to (as in it’s a different one, not that they all worship naked and play the harp) has the wine in teeny tiny glasses lined up across the altar so I can deal with that

I am not a germaphobe by any means, but I hate this practice. I was at a funeral recently and the man beside me spent the entire time hacking and coughing into his hands. It's disgusting, I couldn't wait to get home and wash my hands.

The wine is watered down. I don't think there's enough alcohol content to kill germs. The vodka idea sounds interesting...

Could be worse - it could be hugging and kissing!

The Church of England employs a medical officer who advises on this. All the churches I have been at over the last week (quite a few) follow this advice. www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-churches

Ironoaks some posters on MN bring race into everything. I tend to just ignore it when they do, although I did challenge someone today on a thread who insisted that white people can never experience racism.

the vodka idea sounds interesting. I wonder if my local Polish Orthodox church has vodka instead?

Hoghyni I have found vodka far more effective at cleaning my kitchen than anything else. Expensive way to clean though!

We don't have any alcohol at all at our Church, maybe I could have a quick swig of vodka first as a kind of internal pre cleanse

maybe I could have a quick swig of vodka first as a kind of internal pre cleanse
Probably wise. Better safe than sorry.

If you dont want to shake hands either hold your hands together, smile and nod or hold your service book in your hands and smile and nod. In my church holding your service book generally gives that message (e.g. if you dont want the cracker and wine at communion you bow down and hold your book in an obvious way.)

We have actually had a talk by our vicar who basically said don't shake hands if you are unwell and you dont have to drink the wime if you dont want to

Tell vicar to introduce the new "Wuhan shake" that's taking the internet by storm. It's a foot shake rather than a hand shake!

I was at work last Sunday, but DH said it was specifically mentioned that there would be no hand shaking.

@Jaxhog in the Anglican Church I attend it is exactly that!

Our vicar did a whole speech about hand sanitizer and coronavirus etc a couple of weeks ago. I was out at Sunday school, and didn’t go this week so don’t know if the hugging/kissing during the peace still went on.

No change at my church yesterday. Hand shaking and common chalice as usual.

Can't say it had occurred to me that anything might change or that it needs to.

@Witchend my brain went straight to Stilgoe & Skellern too...

We didn't used to do it in church when I was very little, and then we had a new vicar and everyone went a bit Mrs Beamish so it stopped. I started going again about 5 years ago and we shake hands and hug etc. I quite like it now. These are people I grew up with and around but I would hate it if they were total strangers.

Reviving this as things evolve - CofE website advice is now currently no physical contact when sharing the peace.

So op your time has come - you had a point! Though presumably things will go back in due course....

Why won't their omnipotent friend protect them?

@Moonmelodies

Presumably the people Covid is bumping off aren't Christian enough

Or it'll be the old 'works in mysterious ways' bollocks, yet again.