Perhaps the most stressful word in our language today is “Coronavirus,” also called Covid-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019). It seems to have come out of China so suddenly, and so apparently lethally, that we can almost understand how the ancient Egyptians might have felt coping with the plagues because they would not let the children of Israel go.
Fear or faith? Or fear with faith?
There are many admonishments and teachings about fear in the Bible. Some examples:
• Isaiah 41:10 – Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
• 2 Timothy 1:7 – For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
• Psalm 34:4 – I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
So, is fear a reasonable response by Christian people to the onset of this virus? Is fear of this virus something Christian people may experience while remaining faithful to God?
I say the answer to both questions is yes.
Fear is an emotional response to uncertainty or threat. And the virus is a threat, though to what degree is still uncertain. The cautions against fear in Scripture do not tell us never to experience such reactions. They do tell us not to be governed by fear but to be self-controlled and reliant on God to sustain us mentally and emotionally. “Perfect love,” says 1 John 4.18, “drives out fear.” That does not mean that because we love God and one another, we are magically immunized from the virus. It means that through love we will govern what we do far better than through fear. After all, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1.7).
But let me be clear about this, too: this virus has the real potential to be very serious in the United States. I will not repeat the estimates of possible infections that we have heard. They vary wildly and I have no credentials either to rebut or affirm them.
Instead, I want to say what I will do as your pastor regarding our life together, particularly when we gather for weekly worship.
We Gather Together - wait, can we still do that?
First, whether there is coronavirus or not, persons who are ill for any reason should stay home and tend to themselves. In the present day, though, being ill from any cause heightens vulnerability to the virus.
The virus attacks the elderly more harshly than the young and is more serious for anyone already dealing with other conditions, such as heart issues, diabetes, and medical (not physical) disorders. So, if such persons elect to suspend attending worship for awhile, I cannot argue with them.
That said, I hope everyone will understand that there is no special threat from going to church that is not found anywhere else. So, suspending church attendance for a time will do no good if one keeps a full schedule of activities the rest of the week!
At the church
Second, I will try to minimize us handling hymnals and other objects in the sanctuary as much as we have done until now. This will likely cause abbreviated congregational singing for a time. We may simply sing hymns by request – at least the first verse or so! But weekly cleansing of hymnals is not practical.
This Saturday, I will personally go to both sanctuaries and sanitize pew backs, doorknobs, and other surfaces that are “common touch” by worshipers. I will not refuse volunteers to help for the long term!
We will stop passing the offering plates and instead place them at both ends of the sanctuary so you may leave your offering there when you enter or exit.
We will use online media such as YouTube and our Facebook page to worship "virtually," though simulcasting is probably not in the cards.
What about Communion?
We will continue to serve Communion exclusively with individual pieces of bread and separate cups, as is our usual practice. But no one will make physical contact with either the bread or the wine except you, when you consume them. Servers will use small tongs to place a Communion wafer in your hands and we will take similar precautions with the cups.
What can we all do now?
Pray.
Serve one another in love. Persons who are in the elevated risk by age or condition – please call me if you do not want to take the risk of going to the store for groceries or other essentials and I will go for you.
Take precautions to protect yourself.
Rely on God for strength not to be governed by fear.
Worship in Spirit and in truth.
Sorry, but this needs to be said, also
As I said, I will take no issue with persons not attending worship because of concerns over the virus. But there is no delicate way to put this: even if you stay home, your tithe or offering should not.
The missions, ministries, and financial obligations of the church are ongoing. You may mail your offerings to the church or use our online giving service at https://get.tithe.ly/, or just scan this QR Code on your smart phone:
I close with a note from my colleague and friend, the Rev. Jeremy Squires:
Jesus’ message is unique because of its excessive amount of concern for the vulnerable. At its best, the Church has championed the cause of the “least of these”, as Matthew 25 has it. Christians are rarely more incarnational than when they say: society may consider you expendable, but we won’t.No matter what the future brings, God is already there. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ!
