Pastors gather to share worries, ideas
By Phil Haslanger
Collaboration Project Story Team
As with so many leaders right now, the impact of COVID-19 and the subsequent shut down of most activities has faith leaders across the state grappling with how to minister to their communities and how to deal with their own anxieties.
The Wisconsin Council of Churches hosted a Zoom gathering on March 17 that brought together 20 faith leaders from a variety of denominations to share their concerns and their own personal stories. There will be weekly gatherings like this on Zoom on Tuesdays over the coming weeks. (Here’s a link.) It is one way faith leaders can find ways to collaborate in the midst of all this. The Collaboration Project is also hosting another weekly Zoom gathering for clergy on Thursdays at 1 p.m. starting March 19. You can find information on that here.
Because the conversations often were personal, I am not quoting people by name with the exception of Rev. Kerri Parker, executive director of the Wisconsin Council of Churches, who led the group along with Rev. Breanna Illéné, curator of content and ecumenical innovation coordinator for the Council.
“Sometimes I just want to cry because I do not know what else to do,” said one pastor.
“I’m running on adrenalin and anxiety,” said another.
“I wonder how I can be the calm presence as much as I know how,” added a third.
All were struggling with similar issues. With worship cancelled, how do we provide for the spiritual needs of our congregations. Online worship may meet the need for some people, but others lack access or familiarity with online tools.
One pastor suggested not simply recreating the normal one-hour service online, but instead creating something around 20 minutes in length that works better in that medium. Maybe offer it several times a week, not just on Sunday mornings.
There were similar concerns about bringing church leadership together for meetings. While many leaders would be comfortable with a Zoom meeting, others could not attend. Consider creating a call-in-by-phone option, some suggested.
Several pastors focused on the neat to find ways to connect to older members of the their congregation. “We are missing a key part of our congregation,” noted one. “I’m not sure how to get to them.”
There was talk of issues around funerals and memorial services. How does one help a family grieve and bring some closure after a death when there cannot be a gathering of the wider family and friends?
Then there were the financial concerns for congregations and their staffs as weekly giving is likely to decline. “How do I keep paying my staff?” asked one pastor.
And there is Easter on the horizon - April 12. Several pastors mentioned leaders who wondered if they should put out notices for people to buy Easter flowers for the church. The short answer - no. It does not look likely at this point that large gatherings will resume by Easter.
Kerri told the group, “Whenever we can worship together again, that’s the week it will feel like Easter.”
She also advised the clergy - so many of whom described their own exhaustion and sense of being overwhelmed by the choices they must now make - not to forget about caring for themselves. Drink water, take walks, pray. They need to take care of themselves if they are going to care for others.
The Wisconsin Council of Churches has a page filled with resources for faith leaders. You can find that here.
And the Collaboration Project is planning a day-long “United Prayer: For the Good of Our City” on Facebook on Wednesday, March 25, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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