Coronavirus fear
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A United Methodist Insight Column
Jesus said knowing the truth would make us free. If we trust that promise, then it’s time for us Christians to subvert the dominant narrative about what’s happening with COVID-19 response, especially as United Methodist churches consider re-opening for worship and other gatherings.
A recent Washington Post report and a column by Greg Sargent describes a talk by Vice President Mike Pence regarding the U.S. response to the coronavirus, spoken during a teleconference with governors. Mr. Sargent writes:
“On that conference call, Pence encouraged governors to ‘explain to your citizens the magnitude of increase in testing,’ not merely because more testing might be a good thing, but also because this is the primary cause of the ‘marginal rise in number’ of coronavirus cases.
“This is deceptive. As a new Post analysis finds, in six states, the seven-day average of new cases has gone up in the past two weeks even as average testing has dropped. In another 14 states, the rate of new cases is rising faster than the rise in the average number of tests.
“Meanwhile, that analysis finds, in 10 states, the rise in positive testing has been edging up in the past two weeks, a key metric for gauging Pence’s claim and the need for worry about spread.”
To my mind – and that of most church leaders – it’s imperative to have verified facts about the status of COVID-19 in one’s region before bishops, district superintendents and local church leaders can decide whether to resume in-person gatherings. Furthermore, since the coronavirus pandemic continues to pose such a public health threat, people in high-risk categories need to be able to gauge how much exposure they can dare by attending church events. Thus, it’s incumbent on church leaders to get the facts on the COVID-19 situation through local resources such as county public health departments to protect both their congregations and surrounding communities.
Let’s not be shy about sharing local facts with our members and neighbors, either. As with the racism crisis running parallel to the coronavirus pandemic, not everything that we face can be changed, but we know for sure that nothing will change unless we face it.
COVID-19 disrupts mission work
Both short-term and long-term mission trips are disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, writes Dr. David W. Scott, blogmaster for UM & Global and director of mission theology for the General Board of Global Ministries. He writes:
“While we may think of long-term missionaries as people who stay in one place for a long time, long-term missionaries may still be quite mobile, and that mobility presents challenges amid the pandemic. UMNS has this story of Cuban missionaries to Angola whose travel for itineration was disrupted by the pandemic and who were almost prevented from returning to their place of service (story in Spanish). At other times, travel restrictions have caused the cancellation of planned itineration trips, as with this German family serving in Malawi (article in German).
“Problems with travel and pandemic-related visa restrictions caused a missionary couple from the US serving in the Czech Republic to end their missionary service early. Some governments have recalled their citizens serving abroad as missionaries, including a Global Ministries missionary from Chile and these EMK Weltmission missionaries from Germany.
“Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic is also preventing some from becoming long-term missionaries in the first place. In one example, Global Ministries has cancelled its 2020 class of international Global Mission Fellows, a two-year program for young-adult missionary service.”
UM-related non-profit responds to COVID-19-caused hunger
The Rev. Dr. Donald Messer, executive director of United Methodist-related Center for Health and Hope based in Centennial, Colo., reports that thousands of hungry people affected by HIV/AIDS in Asia and Africa have been helped through the agency’s CARE (COVID-19 Action Relief Emergency) Fund. “Due to rigid lockdowns and ‘stay-at-home’ laws, people are crying, ‘If we don’t die from COVID-19, we will starve from hunger,’” Dr. Messer wrote in a recent article for the Denver Post.
He cited a report from Bishop Catherine Mutua of the Methodist Church in Kenya: “Thanks to your generosity, the 361 AIDS orphans and their guardian grandparents scattered throughout my region have been able to get life-saving flour, beans, rice, and cooking oils. How long it will last, I do not know.” Learn more about the Center and its programs at centerforhealthandhope.org.
UM churches begin to reopen outside the USA
United Methodists outside the United States are beginning to return to church according to recent reports from Europe and Africa.
Dr. David W. Scott, UM & Global blogmaster, brings word of how European churches are beginning to open:
“The wave of new coronavirus cases has passed its peak in almost all European countries. While concerns about the virus remain high, and while life is very different in many ways from what it was pre-pandemic, some European Methodist Churches are taking tentative steps towards reopening.
"It is clear, however, that worship services will be different after reopening than they were before. For instance, UMC leaders in Austria and Hungary have given guidelines about social distancing, wearing masks, and cleaning surfaces.
“… Where they have resumed, services have been made shorter, and fewer people are admitted. Some reopened churches are holding multiple services to accommodate demand within … new restrictions. Congregational singing is not part of resumed services.”
Eveline Chikwanah of Zimbabwe reports for UM News that African churches also are beginning to open. She writes that United Methodists attended church service In Botswana on May 31 for the first time after seven weeks of lockdown. Churches in South Africa and Liberia also have begun to re-open.
Media Mentions as of June 16, 2020
Keeping the faith through COVID-19 – Plainsman
Did the Government's Decision to Reopen Worship Centers Send the Wrong Message? – The Bush Chicken, Liberia
About That Reopening – Crosswalk.com (blog)
European churches easing back into live worship – United Methodist News Service
Progressive Voice: Keeping the Faithful During COVID-19 – ARLnow
Milwaukee faith leaders reconsider every element of the religious experience as they make plans to reopen facilities – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel*
‘I have broken no laws.’ How defiant Northern California church thwarted COVID-19 trackers – The Sacramento Bee*
Churches are closed, but religion has a new home on the internet – Fast Company
Ready to go back to church? 10 things to consider before heading to worship – Religion News Service
•Paid subscription may be required.