Loading...March 11, 2020
For immediate release
Late Tuesday, March 10, leaders of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth and Trinity Episcopal Church learned that the Rev. Dr. Robert Pace, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Fort Worth, has the first presumptive positive case of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Tarrant County. Pace is hospitalized in isolation. His wife, the Rev. Dr. Jill Walters, has tested negative, but will remain in self-quarantine at home for 14 days.
Bishop Scott Mayer of Fort Worth is in touch with them and offering pastoral care. The main focus of the response from the parish and the diocese is to remind people that we are all in this together, responsible for caring not only for ourselves, but for each other in responsible, loving ways.
Trinity’s leadership and staff and the diocesan staff are working closely with Tarrant County Public Health to insure everyone’s health and safety.
Closures and cancellations
Trinity has closed the church building and offices to the public for the time being. Trinity’s Preschool is on Spring Break this week. The preschool students had no exposure to Pace.
Trinity has canceled all worship services this Sunday, March 15. The Lenten program scheduled for tonight, Wednesday, March 11, has been canceled.
In consultation with Tarrant County Public Health, the staff at Trinity have identified the people who attended the March 4 Lenten program, about 45 people. Pace spoke at this event. Trinity has notified them to be alert for a phone call from Tarrant County Public Health Department to check on their health and to discuss what they should be monitoring themselves for. The calls will probably begin Wednesday afternoon.
After initial discussions with the public health officials on Tuesday night, news was sent to the rest of the congregation that, based in exposure to Pace, they are at no risk. Read that letter.
Trinity and the diocesan staff are exploring ways to gather in community in an online worship service.
Bishop Mayer will issue guidelines for our clergy and congregations as we navigate this health crisis.
Trinity and the diocese have shared this information with CEEP, with the Episcopal Church Center, and with the board of the Association of Episcopal Deacons (AED) and attendees of the A3D Conference of Archdeacons and Deacons, held March 8-March 10. The Rev. Tracie Middleton, deacon at Trinity, is on the board of AED and attended the conference.
Proactive measures
The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth had begun to push out information about preventative measures related to the coronavirus and COVID19 on February 27 via its website and Facebook Page.
Bishop Scott Mayer issued a statement about precautions related to coronavirus on March 6.
On Tuesday, March 10, prior to the results of the test, Bishop Mayer and the Rev. Janet Waggoner, canon to the ordinary (assistant to the bishop), held a ZOOM meeting with the clergy in charge of congregations to discuss what ongoing precautions congregations are taking. These include discouraging people from coming to church if they are ill, offering Communion with only the bread, as the sacrament is complete in either the bread or the wine; banning intinction, the practice of dipping the wafer into the wine and then placing it in the person’s mouth; no shaking of hands during the passing of the peace, instead encouraging nods, waves, bows, and elbow bumps; stopping the passing of the plate, instead making the plate available for donations at the door and/or online donations.
The bishop is closely monitoring developments and keeping in touch with Robert Pace and Jill Walters, and with the clergy of the diocese.
On Tuesday, March 10, Bishop Mayer took part in an online meeting of the House of Bishops, the first hour of which was focused on the coronavirus, with a presentation by Rob Radtke, president and CEO of Episcopal Relief & Development. Radtke pledged his agency’s support for the bishops’ work responding to the coronavirus outbreak and highlighted some online resources. The briefing also featured John Clements, a retired Tulane University microbiology professor who now serves on the Public Health Subcommittee of the U.S. military’s Defense Health Board. He is an expert on infectious diseases.
Timeline of developments
The Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes (CEEP) had its annual conference Wednesday February, 19, 2020 through Saturday, February 22, 2020, in Louisville, KY.
The Rev. Dr. Robert Pace, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Fort Worth, attended that gathering.
On Thursday, February 27, Pace went to his physician when he began feeling ill. He tested negative to the flu twice.
On Tuesday, March 3, Trinity was the site of a polling place in its Parish Hall.
On the day of the election, Pace had not been in the church building or office for five days. He left the building on Thursday morning, 2/27 and did not return to the building until late afternoon on Wednesday, 3/4. The elections people brought in their own tables, chairs, and election equipment.
On the evening of Wednesday, March 4, Pace returned to the building to present a Lenten program. On his return to the building, Pace, the associate rector, and a deacon wiped all hard surfaces in his offices and commonly touched surfaces in his office with Clorox wipes.
After Pace led the Wednesday night class, the assistant rector wiped the lectern, microphone, chair, and piano bench with Clorox wipes just to be extra cautious. Pace’s exposure to anyone being within 3 feet of him was very limited, mainly to the associate priest and the deacon. Pace was appropriately cautious also. At that time, he was coughing, but had been fever-free for 24 hours.
Pace has not been in the building again since Wednesday evening 3/4 at 7:45pm when he went home.
On Saturday March 7, leaders at Christ Church Georgetown sent out a message that all services and gatherings at the Washington, D.C., church would be canceled indefinitely because someone at the church had tested positive.
On Sunday, March 8, the rector, the Rev. Timothy Cole, wrote to his congregation to tell them that he was the person who had tested positive. He had been hospitalized and was reported to be in stable condition. CEEP also notified the public that the Rev. Dr. Cole had been in attendance at the conference.
That same Sunday night, discussions began among Pace and parish and diocesan staff about the extent of his exposure and how quickly he could be tested. The bishop was notified of the developing situation. Pace does not know Cole, nor is he aware of encountering him at the conference.
On Monday, Pace met his physician at the hospital, where he was tested. He was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. He got the results of the test on Tuesday afternoon around 5 pm.
On Tuesday night, Trinity sent a letter to all parishioners, informing them of the situation and alerting the attendees of the March 3 Lenten program at which Pace spoke to expect a call from Tarrant County Public Health to talk to them about what monitoring of their health they will need to do. Those calls will most likely begin Wednesday, March 11, in the afternoon.
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Please hold the Rev. Dr. Robert Pace, the Rev. Dr. Jill Walters, the staff and congregation of Trinity Episcopal Church, and the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, in prayer through these next few weeks. Pray for all who are ill, and those who care for them. Pray for all who have died, and those who mourn them.
For more information contact:
Katie Sherrod
Director of Communication
Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth
4301 Meadowbrook Drive
Fort Worth, TX 76103
817 909-0070 (mobile)
Sarah Martinez
Communications Manager
Trinity Episcopal Church
3401 Bellaire Drive So.
Fort Worth, TX 76109
817-845-6151 (mobile)
