Sacramento’s religious groups must spread love and faith, not COVID-19
We don’t hear enough about the unsung heroes in religious groups who are not dissing health officials and entertaining conspiracy theories. Instead, many are pouring energy into being communities of faith in new and different ways until it’s safe to meet in person again.
They don’t get much publicity for it, but they’re not looking for that. They are doing what they can to focus on sharing love, and they are not taking risks that can spread the virus.
How are they doing it? Let me count the ways!
First of all, they are doing compassionate action and advocacy. Many offer drive-through grocery giveaways, in cooperation with food banks. Others, like the United Methodist Church of Rancho Cordova, give a fresh meal take-out in lieu of the sit-down free dinner they served in pre-pandemic times.
Interfaith Nevada County masked up and prayed in a socially-distanced kneel-in for “Black Lives Matter.”
People of faith are writing letters to editors of newspapers and to elected representatives on behalf of those suffering in this pandemic. They have assisted the needy with internet connections and devices for access to school, work and all the new online opportunities we need in place of in-person gatherings.
They are also growing their faith communities through ingenuity and persistence.
For instance, they deliver hymnals, booklets, children’s materials and candles to doorsteps. Like many other churches, Trinity Episcopal Church in Sutter Creek delivers pre-consecrated elements for Holy Communion. Every faith organization is providing pastoral care by phone and by mail.
Probably the most amazing thing is that, with little or no internet experience, many religious communities, including those of modest sizes, have learned to make services, meetings and classes happen online. People of all ages read parts and preachers give it their all in heartful sermons of both challenge and comfort for this hard time. There are virtual choirs, singers synchronized with accompanists, video scenes filmed outdoors and multi-screen candle-lighting. Technical glitches are forgiven! Humor and poignancy abound.
Not only have faith communities figured out how to serve and teach and preach online, but they have become creative with the unusual opportunities that come with live-streamed or pre-recorded services. St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Sacramento enlists guest speakers and prayer leaders from around the country.
Cooperation eases the burden of this creative enterprise. Some retired pastors offer free pre-recorded sermons so that active pastors can take a break. One group of churches in Sacramento has pooled their talents, leadership, puppets and music to create a weekly children’s church service, about 20 minutes long, that all of them can use and that anyone is welcome to watch.
Congregations of all faiths are also stretching their income, streamlining administration and doing unconventional fundraisers to adjust for pandemic budgets.
Members with secure incomes have increased their financial support. Fundraisers have gone online, such as the many holiday gift fairs. A Hannukah Food Faire was successfully accomplished with online pre-orders by the Jewish Congregation Beth Shalom.
Despite all this entrepreneurship, there is a most heart-breaking aspect of pandemic time ministry: the struggle to care for the sick, the dying and the grieving. This is cause for deep lament. Compassion through innovation has prevailed, but the sad truth is that there is just no substitute for in-person gathering.
This is why some groups have adopted complaint campaigns — claiming religious persecution — and have defied public health orders. They might look to their humble neighbors who are choosing to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem.
And they might well remember the Golden Rule, which has versions in every religion: “Do unto others what you would have done unto you.” At this time, this means we must practice our faith in ways that spread love, not the coronavirus.