A United Methodist Insight Column
Clean hands
Self-care guides during the coronavirus are getting big play again this week. The New York Times published an excellent article by a behavioral scientist, “You’re stronger than your quarantine fatigue.” The Washington Post has a helpful interactive feature, A guide to taking care of yourself during the pandemic, from head to toe. What neither of these provide is a guide to taking care of yourself spiritually.
We’ve recently published links to a few spiritual guides for self-care during the coronavirus pandemic, but the most ingenious version we’ve seen so far is the one we’ve published this week from Dr. Dale G. Caldwell, an educator, and his father, the Rev. Gilbert H. Caldwell, a retired United Methodist pastor. Together, the father-son team has given a down-to-earth guide for checking in on one’s spiritual health. We’re of the admittedly biased opinion that if we take care to reflect on our spiritual state, we'll be motivated to care for the rest of our physical and emotional health.
A prayer to help find connection
The latest NCC devotional features the following prayer by Nora A. Cunningham, Spiritual Growth and Formation Specialist, United Methodist Women:
“Beloved God, be with us as we navigate changing times, allowing us to find connection and spiritual sustenance with our human communities and our earth. Equip us with the insight to care for one another - maybe from a distance but close in heart. Amen.”
Your weekday dose of realism: “Sure, parts of the country are starting to reopen restaurants, hair salons and retail establishments, but there has been no indication that normal life will be safe to resume without either mass testing or a vaccine or both — a prospect that remains months if not years away, especially if, as the federal government privately forecasts, the daily death toll will nearly double by the end of the month.
“Given this reality, who can think much about the future? Tens of thousands of people are dying from the coronavirus right now, and millions of others are out of work with no prospect of going back.” – Reid J. Epstein, New York Times’ “On Politics” newsletter.
Media Mentions as of May 5, 2020
With split delayed, United Methodists face a year in limbo – The Associated Press
Illinois church that challenged stay-at-home ruling and lost plans to appeal – Chicago Sun-Times *
‘A control group,’: Why Indiana’s places of worship can resume in-person services Friday – The Indianapolis Star *
GOP Ohio state lawmaker refuses to wear face mask because faces are the ‘likeness of God’ – The Hill
A pastor in the Bronx was used to seeing hardship. Then his church saw 13 coronavirus deaths – The Washington Post *
Why religious freedom stokes coronavirus protests in the U.S., but not Canada – The Conversation
Just because the economy is reopening doesn’t mean churches should – Religion News Service
No one-size-fits-all solution to in-person church services – Midland Reporter-Telegram *