Q&A: How people of faith, houses of worship can continue the response to COVID-19
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Jamie Aten, director of Wheaton College’s Humanitarian Disaster Institute and author of Faith Counts’ Resilient Faith series (https://faithcounts.com/resilientfaith), and Kent Annan, the director of Humanitarian Disaster Leadership at Wheaton, have put together a number of resources (https://www.wheaton.edu/…/humanitarian-disaster-i…/covid-19/) to help houses of worship navigate the coronavirus pandemic and what it may bring in the future. On Monday, they answered your questions about how people of faith can continue the response to COVID-19.
(Questions and answers have been lightly edited for clarity.)
FAITH COUNTS: Interesting, what commenters are saying about prayer. What do you think, Jamie and Kent? Is there more to it than prayer? What about faith and works?
DR. JAMIE ATEN: In times of crisis I’ve heard others say “all we can do is pray now.” However, as I reflect on Scripture, I am reminded time and time again how important it is for us to start with prayer. So my hope is that we all would lift up our concerns and lament as well as seek God’s guidance for how to best respond. This is a time for praying without ceasing, but it is also a time for faithful action.
KENT ANNAN: I saw these earlier couple of comments about prayer and so appreciate this. We’ve definitely been talking about how prayer is the way to start and finish the conversations about COVID-19 preparedness and response, with lots of hard work in between!
Q: What should be our response to people who say they’re going to gather and worship anyway?
ATEN: It’s understandable that we want to gather and worship together—such a central part to many of our lives, and really the first thing we want to do in crisis, right, to be there together praying, worshipping, and supporting each other. But in this situation we clearly shouldn’t gather because we’re guided by our love for our neighbors—and we can infect other people (even if we don’t seem sick), that can spread to people who are especially vulnerable, and it increases the community spread. So hard that love for our neighbors is keeping us from worshipping together in person—but also, it is inspiring how creative churches are being to worship together online and in other ways, while keeping each other and their communities safe!
Q: How can I encourage other people’s faith when they’re going through hard times—like job loss or sickness?
ATEN: I appreciate you sharing and asking how to we help encourage other’s faith who are going through hard times like we see in the story of Job.
Having responded and helped people all over the globe after disasters and public health crises like COVID-19, I’ve found that being present to honor the suffering of others is more important than any words we might say. In the case of the current pandemic, though we need to be physically distancing, we can still provide spiritual support and care virtually.
I often use the example of Job’s friends as one of what not to do because they jumped to blaming Job and questioned his faith.
However, if we look a bit closer at this example, we see that at first Job’s friends actually got it right, they showed up and were there for him. It was only after they opened up their mouths that they further added to his burden.
During COVID-19 I think the best way we can encourage others’ faith is to show up virtually for others. This might be a brief text, call, or online chat for example. What people need now is to know they aren’t forgotten, they are cared for, that they are loved-by us-and most of all by God.
FAITH COUNTS: That’s so helpful. There are people that are really struggling and people of faith need to be sensitive to that. Here’s a comment from the weekend: “Try knowing days in advance that you’re about to literally lose everything including possibly your child bc you’re about to become homeless and then tell me you’re not worried and at peace…” What advice would you have about finding peace during these trying times?
ATEN: Thanks for re-sharing this question. Here’s a couple articles I’ve written that I hope might offer some guidance: Finding God in the Darkest of Days
Blessed Are Those Who Suffer—But Not How You Think
What Syrian Refugees Can Teach Us About Hope
ANNAN: Yes, thank you for that hard important question. Here is a resource that can also be helpful for supporting each other during hard times like this: https://www.wheaton.edu/…/COVID-19-spiritual-first-aid… And I wrote a book wrestling with some of these questions titled “After Shock: Searching for Honest Faith When Your World Is Shaken,” that you might find helpful: https://www.amazon.com/…/B00A…/ref=dp-kindle-redirect…
Q: With the constraints of social distancing, service to our fellow congregants becomes more difficult. How would you suggest we help others without exacerbating the spread of the virus?
ATEN: Great question. In our research we’ve found the social support is one of the best ways communities of faith can help each during times of crisis, that is helps reduce spiritual, emotional, and physical struggles.
But in the case of COVID-19, the strength that comes from gathering together can actually put us at risk. However, we’ve been hearing from churches around the U.S. and globe with lots of creative ideas for fostering social support even when we can’t meet in person together.
Some examples include having virtual small group gatherings online, like take a Bible study onto Zoom or Skype.
On Sunday morning at the start of the virtual service my family attended, the pastor asked each person to take out their phones and text three people to remind them that they are loved and being prayed for and ask how they could help or if they needed anything.
At the same time, we realize not everyone has access to technology or may not feel comfortable with using newer technologies.
Another example I appreciated learning about recently was how groups can set up “prayer chains” or call down trees and making calls.
We’ve also seen others who have called and even asked a nursing home to put the phone in the lobby on speaker phone while the person on the other end held their phone to their laptop so the sound could be streamed in.
Q: How do you balance social distancing and volunteering during this time? I know a lot of people want to help, but sometimes the best thing to do is just stay home.
ANNAN: Great question. Yes, this is an important balance right now. It’s important to rely on the best information in times like this, like CDC recommendations. In many cases, staying home is the best way we can help right now. And in some cases, volunteering (for example, helping with food distribution to those who would otherwise go hungry) can be vital, but would want to do it with a reputable organization that is following very strict protocols to protect everyone involved.
Q: How can we help each other’s anxiety in this time of uncertainty?
ATEN: I’ve actually shifted my Psychology Today blog “Hope + Resilience” to focus specifically on how to help each other’s anxiety during this difficult time. Here’s a link to the blog and lots of additional resources you can find there on this exact topic: https://www.psychologytoday.com/…/coping-anxiety-in-the…
FAITH COUNTS: We heard about a summit which you and Humanitarian Disaster Institute hosted recently. What were the biggest takeaways for you?
ATEN: Yes we had a great “COVID-19 Church Summit” last week—that people can still register for now for free to get on-demand videos until Easter. (I’ll put a link below.)
A few takeaways for me were: That our faith can be such source of strength in this moment. That we have an opportunity to be guided by our faith and love to support (with proper precautions) people who are especially vulnerable in these times (whether older adults, college students, families impacted by disability, etc). And that we should take this opportunity to grow deeper in our faith into the hope of who we are and should be as God’s children. I found the combination of insight, practical, and inspiration, well, inspiring!
And here’s a link where you can get free access to these world-class leaders through Easter: https://www.covid19churchsummit.com
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