Sheltering in place during the current COVID-19 pandemic can leave some people feeling lonely, distant or disconnected.
Leaders at area houses of worship such as First Christian Church understand. Even with their building closed to the public during the unfolding crisis, they are determined to open their hearts — and encourage everyone else to do the same.
That’s part of the spirit behind the church’s new Care and Prayer Facebook page launched March 18 in response to the mandated, general isolation of sorts. The group, which listed 255 members at press time, features a banner message of hope across its top: “No matter what lies ahead, God is faithful.”
Some have included concerns about what lies ahead with the novel coronavirus. One worker from Columbus Regional Health asked believers to pray that the overall local plans to help infected patients locally can be effective.
The page’s description is as simple and straightforward as a heavenly petition.
“Please use this group to share any needs you may have, your ability to meet those needs, any prayer requests, things you are doing to get by, etc. as we work together during this time,” a background note reads. “We don’t have to be in the building to be the church. Let’s show the love and hope of Christ to everyone during this time.”
Nancy Lewis, First Christian’s Connections Minister who helped with the page launch, said the church’s crisis response team conceived the idea. Communications director Christy Farrell then executed and implemented it.
“One of the basic questions we asked ourselves is, ‘How do you make someone feel cared for, especially when they’re isolated?’”
Lewis mentioned that one key focus was simply to allow lay people to minister to others, as she believes Scripture often shows.
“For me, one of the most beautiful things is seeing how the Holy Spirit is moving through so many different things and making so many new opportunities (for ministry),” Lewis said. “I think it’s an overall beautiful testimony to prayer.
“Because this is open enough that anybody can pray for anybody else. And you get to see exactly who’s praying for you.”
One of her most significant satisfactions with the page, according to Lewis, “is watching members of the community respond to one anther in lifting one another up.”
That’s because people respond to a prayer request with either a short notation reading “praying,” or, in some cases, by actually typing out their petition for the person.
First Christian Senior Minister Steve Yeaton mentioned that the church will obey authorities for the sake of health and safety without ignoring the multi-faceted needy.
“The church has a history of ‘running to the plague’ rather than away from it,” Yeaton said. “When plagues struck the Roman empire, Christians did not respond in the same way as their neighbors.
“While their able-bodied neighbors fled afflicted areas, Christians willingly stayed behind to care for the sick and dying, often at great risk to themselves. Sometimes loving your neighbor does not mean avoiding your neighbor.”
For instance, First Christian, like other local churches, also has continued its hot meals program for Love Chapel Ministries, merely making the meals for pickup and to-go now since diners cannot congregate.
Farrell characterizes the response to the Care and Prayer page as “fabulous,” and is especially excited to see so many people involved so early at meeting needs, offering love and assurance and more.
“I love watching the church be the church,” Farrell said.
She feels as though such tools developed during a crisis can be maintained and honed in the future, even when people freely can gather again.
“I want to see it continue and grow,” Farrell said.
She acknowledged she never really envisioned ministry done in a virtual fashion.
“But we’ve been trying for a better online presence for at least a couple years,” Farrell said. “We’ve been gradually getting a little better all this time, but this current (crisis) situation is forcing all of the churches to make these outreaches a real option for people. And we are reaching so many more people now because of social media. And these are people who may not yet have stepped inside our door, but they’re engaging online.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”About the page” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
First Christian Church’s new Care and Prayer page is open to all and available at Care and Prayer on Facebook.
[sc:pullout-text-end]
