29 March, 2024

Wandering through the Coronavirus Wilderness

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by | 15 August, 2020 | 0 comments

How the Church Can Serve the Most Vulnerable in Our Spiritual Families

By Tom Ellsworth

Thirty-five years ago, Indiana issued a license plate with the slogan, “Wander Indiana.” I understood the invitation to casually tour the state for all it has to offer, but the wording felt more like an invitation to lazy futility. Can you fathom what it was like for the Israelites to spend 40 years plodding through a barren land on a journey that could have been accomplished in a matter of weeks? And many of them knew they would never set foot in Canaan, which only added to their futility. Forty years is half a lifetime, seemingly wasted.

During this viral pandemic, many feel as if they have been wandering through a barren wilderness. While the Israelites may have had the entire Sinai Peninsula for their trek, most Americans sheltered at home in the early days of COVID-19. A weekend outing was spent in the backyard! And like the Israelites, many have lived these last several months in a spirit of fear and anxiety.

Fear of the unknown can be paralyzing, and there have been numerous unknowns during this season. Sadly, many have perished in this coronavirus wilderness. Simple graveside services have temporarily replaced time-honored celebrations of life. Families have struggled with closure, feeling they have not been able to honor the life of their loved one appropriately. Lifesaving vaccines are promised . . . but who knows when they will be available? This only increases our anxiety.

Despite the bleakness, the resilient human spirit always rises to the challenge. Every wilderness produces its beautiful blooms. The barrel cactus, native to deserts in America’s Southwest, produces a stunning yellowish orange bloom even in harsh conditions. The cactus thrives in tough environments; its life span is 150 years. And amazingly, when uprooted, it can live six years due to the life-sustaining resources and water stored within.

Many families and individuals have been uprooted during this unique period, but—amazingly—many have blossomed and blessed others in the process. I’ve witnessed such goodness firsthand. My 92-year-old father went home to be with the Lord in late January. Not long after the funeral, and just when my mom needed the healing touch of friends and family, the virus exploded, and our culture came to a screeching halt. With the stay-at-home mandate in place, my mother was truly alone.

Across the nation, the first couple of weeks were the most difficult. Everyone feared the worst, and no one wanted to risk exposing any of our seniors—the most vulnerable age category—to a virus that might claim their lives.

But after a short time, that resilient and indominable human spirit began to take hold. People got creative. In my mother’s case, members of my home church began bringing food and small gifts. In nice weather, they would stand in the yard and visit with her as she stood in her doorway. On Sunday afternoons, a member of the leadership would bring Communion and visit while maintaining appropriate physical distancing. Such simple acts became major moments. Mom felt loved and remembered. She lives alone in the house, but she isn’t alone.

So, what are some ways the church can prevent the most vulnerable in our spiritual family from falling through the coronavirus cracks?

Meet Real Needs

Let’s go back to the wilderness for a moment. When wandering during any barren period, what are an individual’s three most important needs? Most would identify survival necessities as food, shelter, and medicine. Leaders at Sherwood Oaks Christian Church saw that as a place to begin.

When offering assistance, we start with the question, “What is your plan and how can we help?” Each person needs their own plan of action. We want to partner with them to solve their issues, not be the solution itself.

For instance, Alan Phillips, our pastoral minister, works with a local pharmacist to find ways to reduce the cost of needed medications via discounts and pharmaceutical coupons. And when the cost still is out of reach, the church steps in to make up the difference. One man approached Alan with his dilemma: eat or pay the rent. The church paid his rent so the man could buy his own food.

Sherwood Oaks members Carthell and Peggy Everett created and faithfully operate a food bank in their small, southern Indiana community. It is a lifesaver for many families, and especially so during this season.

Seldom can one congregation do everything well. I suggest your church explore how you might work with local businesses, agencies, and nonprofits that have reputable systems in place: pharmacies, food banks, clothing distributors, etc. Don’t spend unnecessary time recreating the wheel. Lend a helping hand and then focus on what the church can do best.

Minister to the Lonely

Food, shelter, and medicine are important, but I would suggest an even greater issue created by the virus is loneliness. Media usually focus on the physical aspects of the disease, but the by-product of loneliness is potentially more damaging. Even before the recent coronavirus, former British Prime Minister Theresa May created a new governmental position, the Minister for Loneliness. “For far too many people,” May said, “loneliness is the sad reality of modern life.”

Consider these heartbreaking comments from seniors:

  • “I just needed someone to listen.”
  • “God is punishing me for my sins.”
  • “I have trouble believing God will work this out for good when it seems my world has collapsed.”
  • “You are the only adult I have spoken to in two days.”

Loneliness is a major problem, especially in this current wilderness. Some research even indicates loneliness is as bad for one’s health as smoking. We must remember that social distancing does not mean emotional distancing. The seniors in our congregations and communities need understanding and acceptance even more than help with errands. And I believe the church is best equipped to strike a blow at loneliness.

What are you doing to ensure that “at-risk” members in your congregation and community don’t feel alone? Many folks have extra time—especially now—and are looking for something purposeful to do. Remember, there are dozens of “one another” passages in Scripture. This is a critical time to “care for one another” and “love one another.” Here are a few idea starters to get your creative juices flowing:

• Enlist volunteers to call every member of the church over the age of 62. A phone visit means so much—it is a pleasant reminder that the lonely have not been forgotten.

• Enlist volunteers to write notes, create homemade cards, or print pictures to send to those sheltered at home. Going to the mailbox is more exciting now than it has been in years. Getting mail—especially a personal, handwritten note—can lift one’s spirits and may change a person’s outlook for days to come.

• Enlist volunteers to pray for specific individuals. It can be done privately, for sure, but how much better to pray with that person over the phone. Or write a prayer and send it with the date it was lifted to God. Include a prescient passage of Scripture for encouragement.

• Enlist a green-thumb team to deliver plants and flowers to older adults. Fresh cut flowers or blooming potted plants will brighten a home for days and remind the recipient of a church family that cares.

We may be living in a viral wilderness, but it doesn’t need to be an emotional wasteland. Step out of your comfort zone to help the most vulnerable among us find a piece (or peace) of the Promised Land. And who knows, you might just make a new friend whose encouragement will help you through your own wilderness moments.

Tom Ellsworth has served as pastor of Sherwood Oaks Christian Church in Bloomington, Indiana, for nearly 40 years. He has seen the church grow from an attendance of about 80 people to more than 3,000 on two campuses. His retirement, originally slated for April, was postponed until the church resumes in-person services.

(Be sure to read this article’s companion piece, a Bible study of the exodus by Kevin Dooley: “The God Who Provides.”)

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