What Should Pastors Take Away From the Pandemic?

The COVID-19 pandemic saw the world stand still. Suddenly, people couldn’t leave their houses and social distancing became a significant practice as people stayed apart to lessen their likelihood of contracting the infectious disease. As painful as it was to be apart, people are now starting to resume their lives as normal, with healthier practices they’ll carry into the future to avoid getting sick.

Still, though your congregation may be back in church, some things may be different. You should take a few pandemic lessons with you back into the sanctuary.

1. Caring for Others Is Key

Every church knows you must take care of every member, strong or weak, young or old. Still, the pandemic may have reminded you just how fragile life is and how vital it is to be there for someone while they’re still around. If you’ve lost a congregation member to COVID-19, you and your flock are bound to feel that absence strongly. Mitigate it by caring for one another.

People have been staying apart from one another for years now. Why wouldn’t you want to bring your congregation together if you can gather safely? Prolonged social isolation can even cause a higher risk for dementia in severe cases. If you notice someone hasn’t been as involved in church since the start of the pandemic, reach out to them. See what you can do to make them comfortable socializing again. They may not be ready to attend a church sermon, but they might just accept a visit from their pastor.

2. Host Healthy Living Events

Health should be a priority for your entire congregation after the pandemic. Hosting more events that have to do with healthy living can benefit the seniors in your church and help younger members know what to do to preserve their health as they age. You may consider having a medical “fair” with health care professionals. There, church members can have their blood pressure taken and learn what they can do to mitigate their risks for certain diseases and ailments.

If you want to make it a little more fun, you can host more church gatherings. Outdoor gatherings are an easy way to help your whole congregation feel safe, thanks to the sunlight and constant airflow. Whenever you host an outdoor gathering, make sure to include some fun games that children and adults of all ages can enjoy. Cornhole is typically a fan favorite and can be put together easily with just wooden boards and a few beanbags. Of course, you can also always encourage your church members to live a healthier life from the pulpit.

3. Put Safety First

Though the pandemic may be winding down, COVID-19 still poses a risk to many church members, vaccinated or not. You want to support congregation members who are concerned for their health or who might be immunocompromised.

You may consider having personal protective equipment (PPE) in your foyer or lobby so people can help themselves. When you pay for PPE specifically to prevent the spread of COVID-19, you might be reimbursed for the amount of money you spend. Put safety first and look out for all of your members.

4. Some People Might Not Want Hugs

In church, it’s normal to get up and greet people with hugs and handshakes. After the pandemic, some people may not be ready to return to that normalcy yet. Consider having greeting times without physical touching, as some people may still be social distancing.

Around 3% of the population is immunocompromised, which means they would likely react severely if they were contaminated with the COVID-19 virus. To prioritize their safety, you can find other ways around typical greetings.

5. The Future May Not Be as Expected

You should know that the future is not guaranteed. One of the biggest lessons people have taken from the pandemic is that you don’t always have tomorrow to show others that you love them or to make a difference in the world. Now is the time for everyone to be grateful for what they have – that includes the people they spend their time with.

One of the easiest ways to practice gratitude is to realize that each day is a gift from God, so humans should make the most of every morning they wake up. Encourage your congregation to live each day to the fullest and spend time with the ones they love. Above all, give them a message full of hope.

Focus on Loving One Another

The greatest commandment is to love your neighbor. Whether all of your congregation has come back to church or attendance is still scattered, you are called to love them all. Do what you can to make people comfortable and visit them if they’ll allow it. What people need to hear most right now is that God loves them and so does their church. Over time, things will start to settle back into a routine. Then, you can spread the news of hope and love even further.