To Proceed or Not to Proceed: Process Speaks Loudly
by Edith Guffey, Conference Minister
For the faithful eNEWS readers, you know that I have been using the Wisconsin Council of Churches as a resource during the pandemic. This could be seen as either providential of just dumb luck as Lorraine, your new Conference Minister, hails from Wisconsin and surely knows of the work of the Wisconsin Council of Churches. The WCC has consistently been an excellent resource throughout the pandemic. And, given the continuing surge of the Delta variant, they have updated their guidance. This information is now available on the KO website. I note this as the impact of COVID-19 on our lives and thus on our churches is ever changing and I encourage you to read the latest guidelines.
Which begs a question I am often being asked: Should we proceed with in-person worship, or go (or continue to be) virtual?
I was in a virtual meeting last week with the Council of Conference Ministers who were discussing this question as it relates to a retreat scheduled for December. We have not been together since October 2019, and back in May when this retreat was scheduled, the plan was for it be in person. Everyone was SO excited; we were vaccinated, cases were down and like everyone else, we were ZOOM weary. I was especially excited as this would be my very last meeting, with colleagues, many of whom I have grown to cherish. I suspect that the conversation we had last week was like conversations you have heard or been part of. There were expressions of sadness by those who wanted to attend in-person, but they have children or grandchildren ineligible for vaccinations or family members with serious health conditions and they are unwilling to put them at risk by travelling. The entire group wondered aloud what it means to proceed with a retreat when some can attend and others can’t or don’t feel safe. And still others spoke about how much they need to be together for their own psychological health; and still others stated that they travel safely and trust that others who come will travel safely as well.
It was a thoughtful and honest conversation ending with the decision to proceed with the in-person retreat and find ways to include those who would or could not be physically present. The most important thing is that the decision to proceed as planned was made thoughtfully; with the consideration of all and with condemnation of no one. But the decision was also made with the understanding that those attending in person would be responsible and safe, vaccinated, wearing masks, and caring for each other. The conversation focused on the reality that it was important for every person to make the decision that they felt was best and right for them and their family, but that it was just as important for them to be mindful and concerned about the good of the whole body.
We have all seen the school board and other meetings where elected officials and others are screamed at, called names, threatened, and in some cases spat on over the discussions about mask mandates in schools. It makes me wonder about the messages being sent to our children. My mother once told me, (because she only had to say it once) if I knew nothing else, the one thing I did know was how to act even when I disagreed. While I have made no secret of my opinion about wearing masks, that’s not my point here. Differences of opinion happen, but it is never okay to shout insults, intimidate, or disrespect others. If officials in your community are being abused and treated with disrespect, I hope you will take the time to send them a note thanking them for their continued willingness to serve.
Friends, none of us knows what the next several months will be like as we continue to live with the realities of the pandemic. I suspect that we will all continue to need patience and flexibility. We will all need to remain constant in our vigilance about reading and abiding by the CDC guidance in our area. I expect that we will all continue to be committed to the health of our families and to the common good of your communities and of our congregations. I recommend reading the full guidelines from the Wisconsin Council of Churches, but here are some very basics things to keep in mind as you are considering these questions for your congregations and other meetings as well:
· Consider the guidelines from your local health department and the CDC guidelines.
· Look at the vaccination rates in your community and what you might know of the vaccination rates in your congregation.
· Consider how well the members of your congregation follow the CDC advice of wearing masks indoors and social distancing
· Listen and be considerate of your pastor. What is their health status or the health of those they care for at home? You have a choice about being present for in-person worship, your pastor does not.
· Has your congregation made a statement about vaccination requirements for attendance at a specific event that provides you a level of comfort? (Some congregations have done this for specific events.)
· DO NOT consider what other churches in your area are doing and allow yourself to be pressured into unhealthy decisions.
· Remember that every congregation in Kansas-Oklahoma is different. No single answer works for every congregation.
Finally, I encourage you to agree on a “red line” that triggers a return to virtual worship. Use the science to guide you; not what some other church is doing that may have different metrics or guidelines or worse no guidelines.
And remember, even if you decide to continue (or return) with in-person worship or meetings, there are still ways to include those who are more comfortable joining virtually. We have learned so much in the last 18 months that allow us to serve the needs of a broader community without the same sense of place. One size does not have to fit all for worship or meetings.
And perhaps most important to remember: the process that we use that moves us toward these decisions are just as important as the decisions themselves. It’s the process that speaks to who we really are.