The Anglican Diocese of Wellington Pandemic Protocols applies to Bird Flu / H1N1 (Swine) Flu / any Pandemic 1 The following recommendations have been broken down into four key areas - Communication & Administration - Leadership - Pastoral Care - Finance And three ministry levels - Diocese - Archdeaconry - Parish/Ministry Unit Diocese Communication & Administration - The central point for communication & administration at a Diocesan level will be The Anglican Centre, Wellington. - The Diocesan website www.wn.anglican.org.nz will be the primary point of communication across the Diocese. o Information input will be by email to a specific address e.g. panwebinfo@wn.ang.org.nz, and by telephone o The webmaster is to be responsible for ensuring adequate HR backup provisions are in place until such time as the website can be maintained by staff at or through the Anglican Centre. o The website will be updated daily. - The website must have the capacity/ability to be updated daily with prayers / devotions. - The Diocesan Telephone System must be capable of being diverted off site. - Administration support will be provided by o Archdeacon Bernard Faull, followed by o Mrs Karen Stewart o Mrs. Elizabeth Smaal, followed by o The Rev d Henry Resink - The Very Rev Frank Nelson, as nearest neighbour is to be given access codes etc to the Anglican Centre to provide an on the spot substitute if others cannot access the building. 1 The Bishop s Office, Anglican Diocese of Wellington, P O Box 12046, Wellington. When using this document please acknowledge its source. 1
Leadership - The Bishop of Wellington, The Rt. Rev. Dr. T.J. Brown is the primary point of contact, Shepherd and Spiritual Leader for the diocese. His roll will be primarily pastoral. The Vicar General is Archdeacon Pat Muxlow The Deputy Vicar General is Archdeacon Robert McLay If required the order of succession would then follow with Archdeacon Tony Gerritsen, Archdeacon Monty Black, Archdeacon Damon Plimmer, Archdeacon May Croft, Archdeacon.Elizabeth Body, Archdeacon David van Oeveren, Archdeacon Jenny Dawson. - Archdeacons are to have direct line contact with the Bishop or subsequent successor; land line and mobile. Pastoral Care - The Diocesan Administrator, Archdeacon Bernard Faull is to devise a care system for Anglican centre Staff E.g. Rev Allison Camplin to be pastorally responsible for Children, Youth and Resource Centre staff. Ian Frater to be pastorally responsible for Finance Staff. Karen Stewart to be responsible for Administration Staff. - The Vicar General and Deputy Vicar General are to meet with the Bishop to discuss access to Clergy next of kin and family details. - The Bishop will be responsible for providing daily prayer / devotions for the diocesan website. Finance - Emergency access to Trust Funds is to be arranged if there is no or inadequate income from Parishes / Ministry Units. Note; The Diocesan Year Book has been updated with all clergy mobile numbers and this information will be updated on the Diocesan website. Archdeaconry Communication & Administration - All Geographic Archdeacons are to name a second and third successor. - Geographic Archdeacons are to ensure that they hold current home & office email addresses, and contact details for Archdeaconry clergy. - Geographic Archdeacons will provide the conduit for information between o the Bishop and the wider diocese. o the Parishes / Ministry Units and the Bishop. Leadership - All Geographic Archdeacons are to name a second and third successor. Names to be submitted to the Bishop. 1 The Bishop s Office, Anglican Diocese of Wellington, P O Box 12046, Wellington. When using this document please acknowledge its source. 2
Pastoral Care - Geographic Archdeacons are to be in daily contact with o Diocesan Bishop o Parishes & Ministry Units Finance - Not applicable Communication & Administration - Parishes are to confirm o all key contact details parish wardens parish clergy pastoral care networks Parish / Ministry Unit o information on all newsletters is current o Diocesan Website details are on all newsletters - Update Parish Website details and ensure it is linked to Dio website. - Ensure answer-phone messages are clear and effective. - Set up Telephone Trees for daily contact - Set up email trees for daily contact - Divide the parish into a geographic grid and develop local contact lists. - Ensure that daily contact with the Archdeacon is established; email and/or phone. Leadership - Vicar / Priest in Charge/ Ministry Team is to identify back up o Laity - Wardens o Clergy - Vicar / Priest in Charge / Ministry Team Administrator to each have a hard copy of the Parish Roll - Identify critical leadership roles Eg; Ezee Meals coordinator, Pastoral Team coordinator etc - Identify essential parish functions and ensure they are staffed adequately. - Pay for Tamiflu 2 (if available) for vicar / priest in charge / key identified people in Mutual Ministry Teams 2 Tamiflu is a medication which may or may not be effective against a pandemic strain of influenza. 3
- Purchase / assemble Protection Kits (as supplied by GSP Supply Corp) for clergy and key lay persons. - Supply alcohol wipes for parish office phones and key boards and alcohol based hand wash gel for cars / visiting. Pastoral Support The most important thing we can offer is hope! - Clergy can offer public reassurance through the sacrament of presence and being seen to be present by wearing clerical collars. - Disaster Preparedness o Offer Disaster training and equipping sessions. This may be in cooperation with local Civil Defence. o Ensure all parishioners are referred to the inside cover of the Yellow Pages in the phone book which outlines Being Prepared for Disasters. Additional water would need to be added to kits. o Check Parish First Aid Kits and availability of trained first aid people. o Encourage parishioners to check and restock personal First Aid Kits, especially with additional paracetamol. o Check to ensure Civil Defence Kits are not time expired. o Network with local health, welfare, safety networks, funeral directors and other service providers. Ensure contact details for these service providers are held by key parish leadership. o Be aware of local information and peculiarities e.g. water supplies etc. o Ensure information regarding contacts for GP s and Ministry of Health are published in weekly newsletters. - Parishes / Ministry Units are encouraged to stockpile non perishable food items. - Parishes / Ministry Units are encouraged to use paper hand towels, and supply tissues rather than communal towels. - Parishes / Ministry Units are encouraged to hold next of kin details especially for parishioners who live alone. - Using the Parish Grid established under Communication & Administration, establish pastoral Neighbourhood Care networks (remembering who is our neighbour ) o Reasonably small scale o Within walking distance - Identify a leader/contact person for each Neighbourhood Care network. - Distribute Care Cards containing essential information such as phone tree process, pastoral contacts, prayer contacts etc. - Build up and equip Lay Ministry networks including and beyond those licensed to the Diocese. 4
- Identify and brief lay people who can provide telephone support and prayer for those who are fearful or otherwise distressed. Liturgical & Sacramental Support - Train and equip LLM s to offer appropriate support and prayer, lead memorial services etc. - Each home to have a copy of The New Zealand Prayer Book / He Karakia Mihinare O Aotearoa, and a Bible. If necessary on loan from the church. - Promote Midday Prayer as a dispersed community activity. Church bells might be rung to indicate Midday Prayer. - If able to gather, offer communion in one kind only. Be very aware of hygiene, distributing only after using alcohol hand wash gel or similar. - If able to gather note that there is to be no passing of the peace or physical contact. - If anointing people for healing wash/wipe hands between people. - Encourage people to not sit too close together in gatherings. - When ministering with people who are ill, dying or at death take appropriate hygiene precautions i.e. wear a mask, use alcohol solution for hands etc. - Clergy and Pastoral Team members need to be aware of health protocols in situations of death, and prepare families appropriately. Use the resources in NZPB, particularly Prayers before a Funeral pp 822-825. - Mass burial / cremation is the likely process if large numbers of deaths occur. Offering Memorial Services once people are able to gather again will be very necessary. - Suggestions for appropriate prayers at various times and situations during a pandemic / crisis is attached. Post Pandemic / Crisis - Once the danger period is over it will be important for parishes to be aware of and acknowledge the grief and trauma of the situation. Resources produced post September 11, and the 2004 Tsunami would offer a useful starting point. Finance - Ensure adequate security of any money, valuables etc in the parish. The Bishop s Office, Anglican Diocese of Wellington, P O Box 12046, Wellington. When using this document please acknowledge its source. 5
Daily Prayer in time of an Emergency If the flu pandemic strikes, it is likely that households will be encouraged not to mingle with others. Schools will be closed, and places of business including supermarkets, and even church services may be forbidden. In such a situation anxiety levels will rise and our people will be looking for spiritual resources to help them through, resources they can access and use in their homes. Our NZ Prayer Book is a rich resource and parishes could help to ensure that every parish household has one, and a bible. Daily prayers can help give structure to our days; especially when folk have more time for thinking and reflecting in troublesome circumstances. Daily Devotions (A NZPB pp104-137) Midday Prayer (A NZPB pp147-166) Night Prayers (A NZPB pp167-186) And of course the Psalms are a useful resource for adults. For families with young children Family Prayer (A NZPB pp 187-191) The Family Liturgy (A NZPB pp771-72) In times of a crisis when a member(s) of a household are seriously ill, there is the people s blessing on p745, and prayers on pp 747-48. If a member of the household is dying prayers from pp 813-821 may be used, and if someone dies and there body needs to be removed for burial immediately then Prayer Before a Funeral pp 822-825 can be used as liturgical farewell, until a memorial service can be held at a later date. Useful Websites for information: Ministry of Health information: http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/mexican-swine-influenza-update-270409 Ministry of Health Guidelines: http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/pandemicinfluenza-resources-guidelines Ministry of Health Factsheet: http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/pandemicinfluenza-resources-factsheets For information about Tamiflu go to http://www.tamiflu.co.nz/ The Bishop s Office, Anglican Diocese of Wellington, P O Box 12046, Wellington. When using this document please acknowledge its source. 6