The news media report that the number of cases of swine flu in Mexico, the United States and around the world is rising. While information about the symptoms and human transmission of the virus is available from a number of sources, the situation calls for the intentional and thoughtful response of the faith community.
In the name of the Great Physician, we must be diligent in prayer for the persons suffering with the virus. Pray for their healing and pray for the ones who provide care, that they may be safe and patient in their vigilance. Pray for a calm spirit to pervade our communities, that we might all recognize our potential to stop the spread of the virus with our own precaution. Pray that we might avoid the panic that can cripple our wisdom and create an environment of blame, judgment and isolation.
As a community of faith, we can point to the services of medical care that are available to the most vulnerable among us, such as the Alliance Medical Ministry of Wake County. Alliance Medical Ministry is an Advance of the North Carolina Conference, providing medical care for uninsured, working adults. Learn more about the medical services for children, who have been particularly affected by Swine Flu in Mexico, and be prepared for the “least of these” in North Carolina.
Many churches have “phone trees” or systems of contact with their elderly or home bound members. Creating such a system or adding names of persons who are not members of a congregation but who live alone and worry about this illness is a timely response for the church.
When planning for worship and other ministries of the congregation, consider the ways people interact with one another. Invite communion servers to use hand sanitizer before serving the elements (Did not the psalmist invite us to be people of clean hands and clean hearts?). Ask choir members to sing only if they are well and nursery attendants to serve in good health. The virus is spread through hand to hand contact and coughing and sneezing in close space. There is no need to cancel plans for worship or any other activity, as long as people exercise caution in their participation.
God is in our midst, giving us opportunities to care for the least, the last and the lost. Offer a word of hope to those who worry, and bless those who refrain from participating in the fellowship if they feel ill.
By Rev. Carol Goehring, Executive Director of Conference Connectional Ministries
For more information, please see Swine Flu, Hygiene, and Holy Communion from the GBOD.
UPDATE: We have created a page on the Conference website dedicated to information about the Swine Flu. Please continue to check this page for various updates and links. This link can be found on any Conference page, under Resources > Swine Flu.
May 1st, 2009 at 6:27 pm
My prayer is that God will heal our lands and rid us of such diseases as stated above. In my own community of faith blame and judgment has begun. There are a great number of Hispanic persons in our communities. They are feeling the effects of negative speech and judgment. May God help us all.
May 5th, 2009 at 8:29 am
Dear. Alice,
I recognize times of sickness or any other crisis as moments for anxiety and it is easy to become emotional and to want to blame somebody for our trouble. This is fear – and of course, fear is not of God. My own 12 year old daughter has been sick since Friday and I have had concern for her health, however, never did I feel a need to place blame on anybody as I compared her symptoms to those on the list of “swine flu” symptoms. I only prayed that God would touch her body and bring healing to her… but that is because I know how to trust God with the very lives of my children. Many in the world we live (and even in our churches) do not have that peace.
Unfortunately, as I have read the different articles and watched reports on the news, I knew in my heart this would be an immediate response from so many. We must continue to be ministers of authentic grace and love, for this is the true light of God shining through us and we are the vessels by which God can infuse healing into our land. Yes, we do need physical healing – but, the healing of our spirits is so much more critical. It all begins on the inside… in the inside of the church and then on the inside of our existence… our own spirits – whole, renewed, and strong.
Thank you for caring for your Hispanic/Latino brothers and sisters in the community. I’m thinking about how we might cease this moment as one in which to reach out tot hose who are feeling the effects of “negative speech and judgment” (as you describe it) with opposing words of grace and hospitality. Maybe we could all brainstorm together.
Just a random thought this morning as I read your email: might we create a flyer or posters that could be distributed or placed in some of the local stores that we (Hispanic/Latinos) shop in… maybe it could be a statement from “The People of The United Methodist Church” that says that we understand that this is happening, but that as people of faith we want to send a different message! And we could have these translated to Spanish with information about our local churches as places they can come for prayer and comfort???
The question in my mind is how can we offer ourselves as healing stations and make sure our communities see us as such? What a great time for the Church to stand up for her surrounding community in a time of such trouble, pain, and suffering. What does God want to say to the world through us?
Should this sound like something our churches would like to do, please, let me know if my office can help with getting something like this translated. I welcome ideas or thoughts on how we can respond as a church and as a conference. Please, let me know!
Oh, and by the way… my daughter is doing much better this morning. One more day from school, resting, should do it!
Peace and Grace to you, Reverend! Please, know that your email has touched my heart and encouraged me greatly!
En Cristo,
Cookie
May 5th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Cookie,
I am more than willing to help educate, in our communities and local churches, ways of offering an immediate and life-giving response to this terrible disease. I agree that this possible pandemic is met with pain and suffering. The thing that is uppermost in my mind is that at the core of our United Methodist beliefs is “offering Christ” to people out “there” suffering, in pain, and in need of the Saviour. This is not a time for judgment. Our job as servant leaders is to love, not judge. I am willing to take on this awesome ministry challenge with you. Your idea about placing posters/flyers is helpful. Hopfully something can be done at this years Annual Conference. Peace of Chrsit, sister. Rev. Alice