Churches in the Pandemic: A Wink of God

By Sandra Olmsted

Covid has changed how businesses operate and where employees work, and even religious institutions also modified how to worship, educate, and support parishioners. Even staid congregations had to venture into the realm of Zoom, GoToMeeting, and Streaming for services, meetings, and even some pastoral care. In the course of this pandemic, several local religious leaders saw moments when God seems to be present in the reaction to the pandemic, what Pastor Monica Jefferson at St. Andrew United Methodist calls “a wink of God.”

Pastor Martin Dressler at Salem Lutheran Church, which stayed open for services, and Rev. Carol DeVaughan at John Knox Presbyterian Church also seen similar benefits. All three congregations are juggling remote and in-person services and care and trying to accommodate the needs and limitations of serving church members who want to isolate and those who need to come to church.

All are looking forward to getting their entire congregations back in church for the fellowship and formation that is missing. With fortitude, compassion, ingenuity, and a healthy dose of technology, Pastor Dressler, Rev. DeVaughan, and Pastor Monica, as she prefers to be called, have seen the reaffirming of faith in the pandemic.

For Pastor Dressler, streaming and online service can never replace the formation and connections made during in-person church services; however, he also sees the blessing that technology has been for his congregation. In October, Salem Lutheran Church received a grant to replace the older camera with a new camera and software system for their YouTube channel. Their services are only live-streamed because Dressler wants people to “order their life around the Word of God and not God around their life.” He doesn’t want technology to replace “the blessing of being together in community.” While they may continue Zoom Bible study, Dressler said,” formation doesn’t happen in the same way online as in person.”

As with congregations whose entire congregations or ones with members choosing to isolate, only in-person services where everyone feels safe to be there can fill the hungry for fellowship and formation with our church families. Perhaps that hunger for being part of a church family is why news reports say that more people, especially those 20-40, are attending church online.

In contrast to staying open, John Knox Presbyterian Church closed their building, and all services have been virtual; however, they “may” open later this spring, according to Rev. DeVaughan, the Interim Pastor. Their services have been recorded, and live streaming is planned to start sometime after Easter. They will be doing some outdoor events when the weather is better so that congregation can have some fellowship time together. In the meantime, they are encouraging getting the vaccine.

Rev. DeVaughan admires how people have been very patient and concerned for one another. Being patient and supportive of each other’s needs has been the focus and what John Knox Presbyterian Church has paid attention to during the pandemic.

Certainly, being aware of what others are or might be going through, whether members of our church family or our neighbors or complete strangers, would be a positive thing that everyone can take away from this pandemic experience. Such patience and concern for others would make our communities and country a better place for everyone.

Pastor Monica at St. Andrew United Methodist had an unusual experience related to the pandemic, one she calls “a wink of God.” About a year before Covid, the 55-year-old congregation decided to embrace technology, primarily to minimize travel time so that more people, especially working people and those unable to get out due to age or infirmity, could participate in the church’s services, classes, and committees.

When the pandemic hit, Pastor Monica and St. Andrew United Methodist had the knowledge and equipment to serve the entire congregation immediately. She has even offered her expertise to other churches and schools in the area struggling with the transition to digital. They have also kept their Monday-Friday pre-school open in both a hybrid model in-person to service those who have had to go to work. They have an active Stephen Ministry program and have been taking donations for a food pantry that serves teens. They promote Covid testing, sanitize everything, and require masks, and they pray. Pastor Monica says she spends “a lot of time on my knees!” Still, for her and the congregation, it is about community. Paster Monica says it is about them connecting to each other, the entire community, and to God and about “thriving in adversity.”

The community spirit and desire to help and understand each other and provide for each other’s needs would be a great lesson for everyone to take away from the trials, tribulations, and hidden blessing of this virus that has upended so many lives.

All the problems, pain, and suffering of the pandemic ought to result in some things that are positive and desire for connection with other people and God, patient concern for others, and a community spirit of caring and understand each other would certainly be “a wink of God” to come out of Covid.

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