“I Will Hold Your People in My Heart”
Rev. Debra Griffis-Woodberry, Pinnacle Associate
“I will go Lord, if you lead me, I will hold your people in my heart.” These words in the refrain of Here I Am, Lord reflect the promise of every pastor. It is inherent in our call, it is who we are, its what we do.
Hardly in our wildest dreams did we imagine that God would lead us to an empty sanctuary, to not visit the sick, to stay at home all day; everyday, to set up a makeshift broadcasting space in our homes. But here we are amidst the troubled and uncertain days of Covid 19 learning and living in ways that seem counterintuitive to us as pastors.
I am retired from parish ministry, so I am not on the front lines of this. My mind and heart though are active. As my mind spins with questions like what will this all mean as we look back? What does Post-Covid 19 church look like? Will we learn lessons from the pandemic? I wonder will we decide that zoom is a more efficient way to meet even in ordinary times. I wonder will we continue to use live stream or another technology? Will we have learned a new way and better way to be church? O Lord haste the day when we are Post Covid 19 and begin to answer these and other questions.
In the meanwhile, I offer several observations:
Pastors already have most of what is needed.
Always and especially now we employ the gifts and resources that God has given us. We already have Bible knowledge plus teaching, preaching, and pastoral care skills. We know how to pray aloud with others. We know what the Holy Week texts are. We know where the Easter passages are. The challenge is finding the method of communicating and connecting. We already know the familiar songs and hymns that help our congregation worship and pray. This is a time of modeling courage and risk taking as we lead our first video conference or counsel with someone via Zoom or Skype. It is a time to live into humility as we ask for help from others.
Familiar spaces and faces are important.
It's important that people can see familiar faces and spaces that are avenues of connection with God. While your video may show your amateur efforts at “broadcasting and producing”, just seeing and hearing a pastor they know and trust will speak powerfully. Just seeing the stained-glass windows or other familiar icons of your church building will bring calmness and comfort.
The Importance of Laity and Teamwork
Now is a good time to realize the validity and deep need of teamwork. We cannot do this alone. Now there are literally places that pastors cannot be. Laity bring so many gifts to the table. Many have technology skills that can be applied to ministry in a virtual world. The New Testament describes church as the body of Christ, the family of God. Each member is valuable and needed. Together with God we are complete. The Message version says this from I Corinthians 12 “The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church. Every part depends on every other part. If one hurts every other part is involved in the hurt and in the healing, if one part flourishes, every other part enters the exuberance. You are Christ body --that's who you are!”
Pastors are tired
Many people have little understanding of the daily work of a minister. In this crisis many are working more and getting paid less. I have watched many virtual productions of church services, of ministers leading a devotion from home or any empty church building, of music and prayers to strengthen others. As the days go on and the reality that “This is not a Snow Day” sets in, as pastors homeschool their children, as they hold God’s people in their hearts, I see their fatigue. Please take care of yourselves. Only you can be the best minister that you can be. In other words, you do not have to become someone else. Whether introvert or extrovert, wherever you are on the Enneagram, whatever PeopleMap type that you are; be that person.
This too will pass
We have many biblical narratives to teach us that there is a way out and through wilderness days. Remember Moses and the people of Israel. Remind yourselves of the words from the prophets during the Exile. Remember Jesus’ experience of 40 days in the wilderness. Remember the Friday of Crucifixion, the Saturday of death and the resurrection of Sunday. It will be exciting to see what Post Covid 19 Church looks like. Perhaps this sheltering in place time will prove to be the whisper of wind that fuels the embers of church into a flaming fire of God’s Kingdom.