Mel Robin John Hill
United Methodists attended COP26, the United Nations' global climate conderence held in Glasgow, Scotland, Oct. 31 - Nov.12. Here Robin and Mel Caraway (at left) join John Hill of the General Board of Church and Society in witnessing to the UMC's commitment to climate justice. (Church and Society Photo by Amber Gaines)
A United Methodist Insight Column
Here’s some good news to balance out the latest crises: The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that some 35 million Americans donated an estimated $2.7 billion on Giving Tuesday, Nov. 30. That’s a 9% rise over 2020 donations.
Among United Methodists, the General Commission on Religion and Race reported having exceeded its $5,000 goal, reaching $5,160 and still processing donations. United Methodist Women received $11,500. These are only two of the church-related agencies that benefited from generous people this week. We’ll publish more reports on generosity as we get them.
Surviving a ‘gut punch’
A pastor of our acquaintance called the most recent coronavirus news “a gut punch.” Just as we’re gearing up for holiday worship, along comes news of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, with multiple mutations that scientists say make it more easily transmitted. First identified in South Africa, Omicron has spread quickly to 20 countries, including a first case in the United States.
Omicron variant
Photo courtesy of UCLA. (CROCOTHERY Getty Images/iStockphoto.)
What are we to do? We’re still facing heightened risks from regions where vaccination rates are low because of resistance or lack of vaccine access. President Joe Biden has said he doesn’t expect that Omicron will trigger the kind of social lockdowns that disrupted our lives at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, but nobody knows for sure yet just how virulent Omicron is.
Fortunately, we have more advantages going for us facing Omicron than we did when threatened with the Delta variant. We now know that masking, physical distancing and vaccinations work to protect us from coronavirus. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists explored how long it might take scientists to come up with an Omicron vaccine, should it prove to evade the immunizations we’ve already had:
“Pfizer, the maker of one prominent COVID-19 vaccine, said that if research, which should be available in the coming weeks, shows the variant escapes the protection of its vaccine, it could ‘produce a tailor-made vaccine against that variant in approximately 100 days, subject to regulatory approval,’ according to a statement the company sent the Bulletin. A company official told the health and medicine news site Stat that Pfizer could be producing a billon doses of new vaccine a quarter by March. Moderna, another manufacturer of mRNA vaccines, said, it could produce new vaccines in early 2022, in large quantities.
“ … While the initial steps of designing and synthesizing a new mRNA vaccine could take only days and, as company officials have said, producing new shots in large quantities could be done in months, it remains unclear exactly how those new vaccines would be cleared for public use.”
So, let’s not panic. Instead, as we enter the Advent theme of anticipation, let’s prepare by redoubling our efforts at proven public health measures, stay alert to news of Omicron, and be ready to pivot as needed. We got this.
Another tragic death
Speaking of COVID-19 vaccinations, I agree with contributor Susanne Johnson that the recent death of evangelical broadcaster Marcus Lamb from coronavirus is cause for lament, not condemnation. See Susanne’s commentary for reasons why Lamb deserves to be mourned, not derided.
As of Dec. 2, COVID-19 deaths in the United States top 780,000 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Worldwide, COVID-19 has killed some 5.2 million people, according to the World Health Organization. Added to these figures is the collateral mental health damage from those mourning loved ones killed by COVID-19, some 50 million or more people.
The coronavirus pandemic is still with us. We mustn't give up fighting it, even if it now seems we're playing "whack-a-mole" to combat new variants.
A hurting community
Thanks to Mark Doyal, communications director for the Michigan Annual Conference, for permission to republish their story on how United Methodists in Oxford, Mich., are responding to this week’s deadly shooting at the local high school that initially killed three students and injured eight more. As of Dec. 2, a fourth student has died from his injuries. Mark was in Oxford this week to document the tragedy, and he describes the community as “hurting.” Let’s keep them in our prayers.
Meanwhile, the scourge of gun violence in the United States is an ongoing crisis that too often is overlooked until a major event such as the Oxford shooting occurs. United Methodists have been working to halt gun violence for decades. The best resources are available from the General Board of Church and Society.
Media mentions as of Dec. 2, 2021
Who's in? Who's out? The ethics of COVID-19 travel rules – The Conversation
Disaster Grant Aids Thousands in Recovery – Mississippi Annual Conference
COVID sparks interest in BeADisciple courses – UM News
A Faithful Action for Climate Justice Winter Webinar Series – General Board of Church and Society
Racial Diversity and Congregational Leadership – The Polis Center
5 Things to Avoid and 5 Things to Accent at Your Christmas Eve Service – Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011.