Grace and peace to you in the name of the crucified and risen Jesus!
Since my last letter to you the COVID-19 situation has changed significantly.[1] All geographic regions of the Southwest Conference of the United Church of Christ have reached what the Arizona Department of Health Service calls a “widespread’ level of community transmission.[2] Members and loved ones of members in our churches have contracted COVID-19. We are ministering to them and to their families.
The gravest news nationally came yesterday. Even with increased measures to remain physically apart, models show the virus’s progression resulting in up to 82,000 death by August and up to 200,000 deaths in total across the U.S.[3] Without physical distancing beyond what we’ve already done, models used by public health officials predict millions of U.S. deaths.[4]
Governors in all three Southwest Conference states have issued “stay at home” orders. New Mexico Governor Lujan Grisham spoke plainly, “Right now, every time you leave your house, you are putting yourself, your family and your community at risk. Only by distancing from one another, by remaining home except for essential or emergency travel, can we limit the spread of this virus to the point that it does not overwhelm New Mexico,” or in reality, any state. Dr. Cara M. Christ’s letter to Governor Ducey asking him for a “stay at home” order highlighted the importance of both staying home and staying connected. “Based on this data and the considerations above,” Christ wrote, “I am recommending an enhanced physical distancing order, encouraging Arizonans to stay home, but also to stay connected. This recommendation is consistent with guidance from the CDC...”
With these values in mind – staying home and staying connected – I write to strongly recommend and respectfully request that all SWC congregations and communities suspend all in-person gatherings, and prepare to maintain that suspension, through at least Saturday, May 16, 2020. This recommendation includes all worship gatherings, small groups, rehearsals, Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and Easter observances, gatherings for online worship production, facility use by outside groups, and life sustaining ministry programs that cannot be done in the open air and while maintaining a minimum of 6 feet between all persons in every direction. I am further recommending that all church staff members be offered ‘working from home’ opportunities through that same time period. Our chaplains, and medical professionals in our congregations, continue to recommend virtual pastoral care (phone, video chat, texting) for hospital patients, skilled care, assisted living, and rehabilitation residents and their families.
These recommendations are in compliance with the recommendations of the Center for Disease Control for faith community response to “substantial community transmission.”[5] They are mindful of recommendations and orders from public health officials, wisdom from UCC national leaders, Conference Ministers in areas that have already experienced the patterns our region is beginning to experience, and our ecumenical partners, in consultation with the Executive Board of the SWC. Following these recommendations will empower our churches to do everything proactively possible to reduce the number of cases of COVID-19, reduce the spread of this virus, and ease its impact on our hospitals and healthcare providers.
Beloved, I can easily imagine these recommendations are difficult for you to receive. Please know that they are exceedingly difficult for me to write. The best way to love one another and to love our neighbors as ourselves is not to be physically with people outside of our own homes until the spread of COVID-19 is controlled.
What is essential ministry?
These recommendations invite congregations and clergy into conversations about what essential ministry needs to be during this pandemic. Worship is essential to our faith; gathering in groups or or producing liturgies in sanctuaries is not. How can we worship together and lead worship while remaining physically apart? Fulfilling Be the Church values is essential to our faith. How can we do those essential ministries while we remain physically apart?
By CDC standards the Southwest Conference has come to the threshold of “substantial community transmission” in this pandemic. In this moment the CDC invites faith communities to “consider focusing your organization’s efforts to provide services that are most needed during the emergency, such as mental health, spiritual health, or social services.”[6] The ways we have engaged our ministries has relied on in-person techniques. The SWC continues to provide resources for doing these ministries without in-person contact. And we invite you to share your wisdom with us and with one another.
Maintaining social contact
Staying connected with one another is vital. Our personal health and wellbeing depend on doing so.[7] Our pastors and church leaders continue to demonstrate creativity, collaboration, and care for our churches and for one another as they offer virtual opportunities to maintain and even increase our connectedness. Congregation members are finding deep and meaningful ways to be church for one another and their communities even though being with one another isn’t possible.
Camp
Southwest Conference leaders are monitoring the pandemic very closely on a daily and sometimes hourly basis. Southwest Conference and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) leaders have been in conversation about holding/cancelling this summer’s DUCC Camp. Alternate, virtual activities are already being planned if DUCC Camp needs to be cancelled.
A different kind of Easter
There won’t be any celebrations in our sanctuaries this Easter Sunday. In fact, our buildings will be empty. It’s Easter. So is The Tomb! And the Church will be full! Full of hope. Full of joy. Full of love. Full of life! Because our buildings are not the Church any more than the tomb was Jesus.
The Church will be full because we are the Church. Together, we are the living body of Christ, in the world building a just world for all. Being alive in the world is the whole point of Easter! The whole point! Our churches may be more alive now than ever.
For the earliest Christians, every Sunday was Easter. That’s why they worshiped on the first day of the week, the day Jesus left the quarantine of his tomb and began living again. Our resurrection day is coming. We aren’t sure when. And life won’t be the same. Our resurrection day is coming. Be ready; it’s going to be painful. Be ready! It’s going to be glorious! We are going to live again.
Whoever you are, wherever you are on life’s journey, And whenever you celebrate resurrection day this year, may you have a blessed Easter!
Bill
[1] Tonight the Arizona Department of Health Services reports 1,289 COVID-19 cases in Arizona; three days ago the number was 919. The New Mexico Department of Health reports 315 cases of COVID-19; three days ago that number was 237. El Paso County, TX now reports 50 cases of COVID-19.
[2] https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/index.php#novel-coronavirus-home
[3] https://www.kff.org/news-summary/white-house-using-statistical-models-to-predict-covid-19-impact-in-u-s-nations-death-toll-passes-3k/
[4] http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/03/modeling-study-suggests-18-months-covid-19-social-distancing-much
[5] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/guidance-community-faith-organizations.html
[6] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fprepare%2Fmanaging-stress-anxiety.html
[7] https://www.newsindiatimes.com/human-connection-bolsters-the-immune-system-thats-why-its-more-important-than-ever-to-be-kind/