Religious institutions of all manner are being affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The inability to gather closely strikes at the nature of religious services.
To provide its readers with a sense of the response to the coronavirus pandemic, The Corvallis Advocate hosted a live forum on June 2, with a panel of local religious leaders. Following a round of questions from the editorial board, the participants responded to questions from the online audience.
Rev. Jill McAllister of Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis moved to suspend public services earlier than was mandated. She said the step was taken because of close proximity, as religious facilities offer a worst-case scenario for spreading COVID-19. McAllister expects public services to remain on hold for up to a year. In the meantime, online services supported by email and phone calls continue, reaching hundreds of followers.
“So much of what we do as a congregation are the risk behaviors,” McAllister said. “We hug each other, we talk, we sing, we’re in too close of a space with not good ventilation.”
McAllister said working with the unhoused has become even more necessary in light of the coronavirus pandemic, because of the population’s vulnerability and living conditions. She says where there have typically been objections to the presence of the unhoused, some are recognizing the need to care for these individuals as part of the community and society as a whole.
Buddhists are contemplative by nature and value opportunities to retreat from society together for spiritual purposes. Spiritual Director Abby Mushin of Corvallis Zen Circle said practitioners moved online when it became clear that meeting in person was problematic. Since the group has been meditating together online, there has been a feeling of lost energy that is exchanged between members when they practice Zen in close contact.
Mushin said even when the restrictions on social gatherings are lifted, she intends to wait and see what happens before bring people together, also possibly for a year. A new retreat center had just been opened after considerable effort when it was forced to close. The group is working on possibly meeting in small groups outdoors.
“The practice of Zen is the practice of intimacy,” Mushin said. “We spend a lot of time in silence together, in presence together.”
Rev. Jennifer Butler of the First Congregational United Church of Christ also felt it was wise to withhold public services prior to government action. She doesn’t plan to re-open when the restrictions are uplifted, preferring to follow the medical and scientific recommendations as the situation develops.
Butler said her church found itself in a position to help the unhoused when nearly two dozen people arrived on their porch overnight. She said there had been a lot of talk in that time about what to do “when Jesus shows up on your doorstep.” In working with Safe Camp, she sees the overall community value in keeping people sheltered and healthy.
Rabbi Phil Bressler of Beit Am Synagogue in Corvallis said it was seen that closures were forthcoming when services were halted early and moved online. Though Zoom meetings in isolation might not be ultimately fulfilling, there are no plans to immediately re-open. Guided by Jewish values, preserving and protecting human life is at the forefront for Bressler. He said lives are being saved the longer his congregation is kept apart, that it represents positive Jewish ideals. Planning is underway to offer some services down the road.
“For us this is not just a matter of being cautious or careful… it’s actually positively living our Judaism to do this,” Bressler said.
Former Bishop Tom Sherry of the Corvallis Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said church services for his organization were cut early on, but discussions about smaller meetings are ongoing. He said community services performed by the church are limited by the pandemic restrictions.
The ability to minister to each other and have social worship has also been affected, though they are trying to overcome the limitations. A previous shift towards focusing on connecting around family learning aspects and progress has made the transition to remote worship somewhat smoother.
“Being physically distant does not mean we have to be spiritually distant,” Sherry said.
Financial impacts have been felt by some and could be coming or worsening for others. Without in-person services, a drop in the donations that drive many religious institutions is expected. The hit is worsened as employment skyrockets, limiting what followers can give. However, operational expenses remain and projects are already underway or scheduled.
Each of the religious leaders is seeking innovative ways to connect with their membership as the pandemic continues. There is no easy answer on how to bring people back together – some of whom will not be ready to return long after it’s been deemed OK.
Butler said this moment in time represents an important evolution in how religious practices are carried out. She called for creativity and resilience. Bressler noted that he faces a unique challenge in serving followers who do not use technology on certain holy days.
After Gov. Kate Brown ordered social distancing guidelines, some religious organizations balked and demanded to continue gathering under the principles of religious freedom. The religious leaders who attended the forum did not express any desire to push back against the state’s mandates. Rather, there was a consensus that focusing on the health of others is an essential principle, more so than personal freedom.
“We are never free from the truth of the interdependence of all life,” Mushin said. “None of us are separate.”
Interfaith partnerships were emphasized at the close of the forum. So often, religion can be seen as a dividing force. The panelist agreed that interfaith partnerships are crucial to society for bringing people together, maybe not physically – but for now, but spiritually.
Watch the full video of the forum on the Corvallis Advocate Facebook page or at corvallisadvocate.com.
By Cody Mann
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