Proclaiming the Gospel in a Pandemic
COVID -19 will be here in our daily life longer than we had anticipated and yet the Body of Christ still must be served and must proclaim our faith in a pandemic. We cannot wait until we meet in person to serve people or to gather as a community.
People now more than ever need our pastoral ministries in the communities where we live. There are higher levels of anxiety and feelings of disconnectedness and isolation among our people. The unrest, for the lack of justice that we are experiencing in our country, is a challenge for the church to proclaim a message of Jesus and Justice.
So, we are being called to proclaim the gospel in a pandemic, that challenge is still to go out into the “highways and byways and compel them to come…” It is that now we will be going out on to the information highway.
Sacramentally focused ministries must find a way to serve people that are faithful to our tradition while being open to innovations.
At Spirit of Christ when we have gathered, we have taken the following steps:
*maintain social distance,
*no physical sign of peace during the liturgy
*communion in the form of bread served while using plastic gloves and masks.
While I am not at a point of moving beyond the bounds of the sacramental tradition to offer the sacraments, I believe we must find innovative ways to make Christ visible in our communities. We must discover the use of other liturgical expressions online. (i.e. Daily prayer office, adoration of the Blessed sacrament and devotions) and we must find other ways for people to gather in groups for bible study, faith sharing, and community.
I believe, for those of you have been waiting to launch your ministries, that now is the time to launch in a virtual manner to reach people who are looking to technology for connecting and spiritual support. Our current ministries must utilize technology to continue to serve people. This is not a matter of choice but necessity. We may be facing a time of virtual church planting and ministry.
As your bishop, I am here to support you in your ministries. With encouragement and advice, as necessary. I am not asking you to do something that I am not willing to engage in myself. I am a companion on this journey where we cannot see an end in sight. I know that the promise of God is to be with us.
God will provide us the gifts and resources we need to proclaim the good news in a pandemic.
Yours in Christ,
+David Strong, Bishop
June 25th, 2020
COVID -19 will be here in our daily life longer than we had anticipated and yet the Body of Christ still must be served and must proclaim our faith in a pandemic. We cannot wait until we meet in person to serve people or to gather as a community.
People now more than ever need our pastoral ministries in the communities where we live. There are higher levels of anxiety and feelings of disconnectedness and isolation among our people. The unrest, for the lack of justice that we are experiencing in our country, is a challenge for the church to proclaim a message of Jesus and Justice.
So, we are being called to proclaim the gospel in a pandemic, that challenge is still to go out into the “highways and byways and compel them to come…” It is that now we will be going out on to the information highway.
Sacramentally focused ministries must find a way to serve people that are faithful to our tradition while being open to innovations.
At Spirit of Christ when we have gathered, we have taken the following steps:
*maintain social distance,
*no physical sign of peace during the liturgy
*communion in the form of bread served while using plastic gloves and masks.
While I am not at a point of moving beyond the bounds of the sacramental tradition to offer the sacraments, I believe we must find innovative ways to make Christ visible in our communities. We must discover the use of other liturgical expressions online. (i.e. Daily prayer office, adoration of the Blessed sacrament and devotions) and we must find other ways for people to gather in groups for bible study, faith sharing, and community.
I believe, for those of you have been waiting to launch your ministries, that now is the time to launch in a virtual manner to reach people who are looking to technology for connecting and spiritual support. Our current ministries must utilize technology to continue to serve people. This is not a matter of choice but necessity. We may be facing a time of virtual church planting and ministry.
As your bishop, I am here to support you in your ministries. With encouragement and advice, as necessary. I am not asking you to do something that I am not willing to engage in myself. I am a companion on this journey where we cannot see an end in sight. I know that the promise of God is to be with us.
God will provide us the gifts and resources we need to proclaim the good news in a pandemic.
Yours in Christ,
+David Strong, Bishop
June 25th, 2020
