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[1]: There is one new exception. The American Church will hold an Easter Sunday sunrise service outside along the Seine apparently with special permission from the Prefecture.
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[2]: By contrast, it is my understanding that churches in Belgium would be continually limited invariably to 15 participants in a service.
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[3]: Actually, schools are closed as of a Presidential declaration of March 31 and for four of weeks or so.
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[4]: This could be akin asking citizens to simply wear masks over their noses and mouths.
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[5]: 1 Cor. 12:12,21 NSRV "12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ." "21 The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you,' nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.'"
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[6]: What audacity!?! Should we keep this inspiration in our Protestant faiths? What does this audacity mean? Is it like the saying from Mario Cuomo, previous Mayor of New York City, "I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you." I think it is, but you, dear reader, may see it differently due to the extreme circumstances of Luther in 1527 Wittemberg.
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[7]: This is an example of a technological need for a new wineskin (Matthew 9:14-17) at the American Church. We were unable, in the old website (proverbial wineskin) to welcome the energy of new web development necessary in Covid-19 of 2020. Unfortunately, even though the technology is the same (Wordpress), I do not know if the articles were kept for posterity. I also note that the American Church may have a challenge attracting a 'modern' youth and young-adults minister if we cannot have a pertinent digital presence. It can also be noted that Martin Luther's writings of the early 16th century were the first use of modern-day social media, made possible only by the then-recent invention of the printing press. What has changed from printing press to 'Wordpress?' What has changed from the bubonic plague to Covid 19? Perhaps change itself is now less dramatic.
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[8]: I think each musician would compose a whole piece from home.
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[9]: For example, an easy way would simply be to send a thank-you email to the congregants asking them to inform the church if there is a Covid-positive case.
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[10]: "Unduly" in the sense that there would have been a situation of exposure to risk of contagion that I think could easily have been avoided : not following self-imposed precautions, not respecting social distancing, crossing one another in aisles, taking off masks in front of the congregation for announcements, otherwise relaxing of masks, having potential contact cases, etc.
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[11]: More recently, a priest of Roman Catholic Church Saint Pierre Saint Paul has show the poor judgment of removing the mask from his nose in dousing congregants in close proximity to himself and to one another. I only observe such things from my window on occasion.
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[12]: Luke 12:56 NRSV "You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?" The term "hypocrite" would have three meanings: someone who gives answers; someone who plays a role or an actor; someone hypocritical as per our modern definition. (See Strong's Greek 5273. hupokrités)
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[13]: Luke 12:57 NRSV "And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?" Should we read this with a touch of sarcasm? Jesus only starts address the crowd in 'the Sermon on the Crowd' at Luke 12:54, only addressing the disciples before that verse Luke 12:54. This goes beyond Scripture of prescription and beyond Scripture of description. This is true Scripture of invitation.
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[14]: The week following the publication of this article, all schools in France are closed for four weeks. No change whatsoever for places of worship.
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[15]: Sirach 3:25-27 New Revised Standard Version (some texts lack verse 25) "25 Without eyes there is no light; without knowledge there is no wisdom. 26 A stubborn mind will fare badly at the end, and whoever loves danger will perish in it. 27 A stubborn mind will be burdened by troubles, and the sinner adds sin to sins."
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[16]: Covid is in a race with carelessness at the time of my writing this article. Covid is the distance runner, the tortoise. Carelessness is the sprinter, the hare.
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[17]: As a congregating member at the Church, my bias may lead me to be particularly exacting in my care for the Church.
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[^18]: For example, at the Church's Easter sunrise service, we could imagine different scenarios with or without electronic technologies that would not require congregants to group closely to better hear the pastor outside on the Seine, or even be physically present.