Pandemic Ponderings March 30, 2020

You all astound me! I must have participated in 20 worship services yesterday from all over the presbytery and what wonderful, uplifting services they were! Mind you, these were all being pulled off by pastors, liturgists and musicians whose formal training did not include videography or how to manipulate Facebook live. I commend you your caring, your creativity, and your homiletic skills!

But now we are beginning to comprehend that the push you all made to rise to the occasion is, in fact, the new normal. As that reality sets in, I recall the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald written while he was in quarantine from the Spanish influenza. “It was a limpid, dreary day, hung as in a basket from a single, dull star.” That evocative sentence could well describe your mood as we head into another week of life in the time of coronavirus. Let’s be honest, the novelty of this novel virus is wearing off. If you are truly staying home as much as you are urged to stay home, it can get pretty isolating even if you’re with other people. Nerves get frayed. Zoom fatigue becomes a thing. Anxiety and fear can stalk you pretty closely. And we’re grieving. Grieving what we have lost and what we might yet lose. What had been a crisis is now a chronic condition and a shift in our attitude is necessary.

So….

  • Pace yourself.
  • Be gentle with yourself and those around you.
  • Accept that you’re not as productive as you want to be.
  • Recognize that everything you do is harder and if you’re exhausted there’s reason for that.
  • Let yourself openly grieve from time to time.
  • Press more deeply into your prayer life and into the scriptures.
  • Give thanks daily.
  • Faithfully shelter in place.

The PCUSA has compiled a wealth of resources to support you in this time. The link is:

https://www.pcusa.org/covid19/

Last week about 25 of us gathered on zoom to check-in, resource one another, support, and pray for each other. I am going to continue to offer that opportunity. I started out holding these on Friday but since many pastors take Fridays off, I am moving the day to Thursday. We will gather at 4:00pm. The Zoom link is:  https://zoom.us/j/201809351 Join us!

Know that I am praying for you all.

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