So had another interesting email from the Bishop. From 5th September we go back to full 2hr block business as usual and all online or hybrid systems end.

This with 35k cases per day which are still rising albeit slowly, but crucially the schools, colleges go back today and they are predicting a surge in cases as the UK government still hasn't opted to vaccinate anyone under 16 barring in some limited circumstances.

So the timing is curious and I'll thought out.

2 parts of his email struck me though. Firstly he was at pains to point out that the Stake Presidency had told him mask had to be worn by adults and youth. Almost like he didn't want to be associated with them. They're still doing hymns apparently so I'm curious to see how that will work. *rolls eyes* you can remove them if you are speaking or teaching which kida defeats the point.

And most tellingly he said a significant number of people had contacted him to say their testimony had essentially vanished during the pandemic lockdowns. Cue the real reason for the urge to return. I don't know how many a significant number is but it makes sense given that during all the hybrid meetings in person sacrament attendance has been 95% over 60's. The younger ones with families simply haven't come out at all.

It would be interesting to see what happens but I'm not going back in person. For a lot of reasons but it simply not being Covid safe to spend an hour in a small room with no ventilation packed full of guys constantly removing their masks to speak and filling the air with god knows what.

I sure wouldn't want you to go in there! Super Spreader event for sure. But maybe you could do a drive by during meetings once in a while just to get an idea of numbers :)

My Mom in the states is also returning to virtual meetings (it's not a mandate for all units in the stake though) for the next two weeks. No explanation was given, but she thinks too many members in the ward have contracted the virus. Unfortunately, many of them refuse to get the vaccine and my Mom thinks they are stupid. Especially those who work in the medical field.

I'm curious about the singing lol. I can't even chew gum without my mask shifting. I'd imagine trying to sign with a mask on would dislodge it fairly quickly. If you take your mask off to sign then you've just filled the air with aerosol. The better idea would be to can the signing for the time being.

I'm fairly certain there will be some cases in the Ward arising from this and I know there are a few elderly members with poor health. Very uncaring thing to do just to force attendance.

As for me my story with mormonism is complicated. Jack Mormon might best describe me lol. I'm interested in what goes on though.

It does seem like Covid has accelerated the slow death of this ward. The younger age group mid 40's and under has been hollowing out for years now.

Singing was a problem (prior to going virtual) so they only played the hymns-No Singing. and the church leaders removed all the hymnals and locked them up in the clerks office. My Mom hated it as she suffers from ADHD. She literally went bonkers as she had nothing to look it while the pianist played the hymns.

In my family we were all given our own hymn books with our names in gold imprinted in the front. (Instead of a real gift) You could get them that would lay flat too. If it would be important to her you might look for one of those if they still make them.

Thanks for the update. I have been hoping that a lot of testimonies would evaporate, and expect that would be most obvious in places like Europe where congregations were weak to start with.

You stated a couple of complaints about the meeting policies that I think are off the mark,

>Firstly he was at pains to point out that the Stake Presidency had told him mask had to be worn by adults and youth. Almost like he didn't want to be associated with them.

I don't know who you are talking about. Who "doesn't want to be associated with them"? The SP? The bishop? Besides, if there is a surge going on, and especially if vaccination status of the attendees is unknown, having masks required in public meetings is standard operating procedure. A number of US states are now re-requiring masks in public meetings again,

I wouldn't be surprised if masks aren't required by the govt at large public meetings in the UK. Even if not required, it is wise policy. Transmission is largely a function of the amount of exposure, and sitting next to someone who is infected for an hour or two is an excellent way to spread the virus.


>They're still doing hymns apparently so I'm curious to see how that will work.

This is bad policy. It has been well demonstrated now that singing generates lots of aerosol droplets, and singers are seated next to each other for extended periods of time. If somebody is infected, this is an excellent way to spread the infection. My church has had no singing, just piano, and zoom meetings only up until last week. Last week, they had a single singer by the piano. I think that was a trial run, since the meeting was still zoom only. Next week there will be socially distanced in-person service, but no congregational singing, just a single singer up from, well separated from the congregation.


>*rolls eyes* you can remove them if you are speaking or teaching which kida defeats the point.

This is reasonable policy. People standing at the pulpit of at the front of the room, speaking, are going to be well separated from the group. That is especially true for the pulpit. If people sitting in the pews take their masks off to comment, that is a problem. (snarky aside: usually class members are loath to comment under the best of circumstances, so I would hope and expect there is little or no class participation!)

Brother Of Jerry Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------
>
> You stated a couple of complaints about the

> I don't know who you are talking about. Who
> "doesn't want to be associated with them"? The SP?
> The bishop?

I get the idea that the Bishop would dispense with masks entirely if it his was his choice from the tone of his emails. This was a follow up email. The first one was more or less just yay back to normal. Second one was the same but now SP says we must wear masks... Quite possibly a top down directive from even higher that SP



>
> I wouldn't be surprised if masks aren't required
> by the govt at large public meetings in the UK.
> Even if not required, it is wise policy.


Current UK policy is to ahem recommend mask use indoors but not mandate it. Translation, in real world experience shops etc by me have 30% or so of customers wearing masks.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if they are mandated again over winter if the surge from schools and colleges returning gets bad.


> Transmission is largely a function of the amount
> of exposure, and sitting next to someone who is
> infected for an hour or two is an excellent way to
> spread the virus.


Couldn't agree more




> This is bad policy. It has been well demonstrated
> now that singing generates lots of aerosol
> droplets, and singers are seated next to each
> other for extended periods of time. If somebody is
> infected, this is an excellent way to spread the
> infection.

Yep if you needed a reason not to attend this is it. Complete lunacy in action. They were playing motab up till now. Don't see why they couldnt carry on like that.


> This is reasonable policy. People standing at the
> pulpit of at the front of the room, speaking, are
> going to be well separated from the group. That is
> especially true for the pulpit. If people sitting
> in the pews take their masks off to comment, that
> is a problem. (snarky aside: usually class
> members are loath to comment under the best of
> circumstances, so I would hope and expect there is
> little or no class participation!)


I meant more in the classrooms. But yh keeping schtum could be the healthiest way to go.