What have we learnt? Covid and the last year.


Over the last year since the start of the Covid pandemic there has been much in the press about the affects on society. We have seen that there are many people who are anxious, feel alone and worried about the future. So I looked on the Internet for the Christian response to the Pandemic. I was not surprised to see that there were many articles to suggest that the Christian Church as a whole has failed in this time. 

In the first Lockdown the Churches were asked to close and there was no public worship. As the infection rate went down the Churches could open for private prayer. In the recent lockdown many places of worship have remained open although the infection rate being a lot higher. I have maybe been a thorn in peoples sides by asking why. I even wrote to the Cardinal  to ask him why. I argued that they should be left shut because of the demographic that tend to go. I got a standard reply back. When I looked in newsletters I read many times about how to give your collection and the restrictions in coming to Mass.

There is something deeper going on here. As we come out of  lockdown and with the Vaccination process going well there is a question that I ask: How many will come back to Church? I fear that the Church will be a lot smaller. There are a number of reasons for this. 
  1. People have got used to not going
  2. People have died 
  3. The Christian Church has not spoken to the signs of the time
  4. The Invisible/visible Church
Lets take each of these in turn

People have got used to not going

Many people have got used their Sundays being in front of the computer watching on line services. For us the Coffee is on and the relaxed atmosphere of watching Mass from all over the world. This new normal has meant that people have heard a different styles in preaching and expression of the Christian faith. It may have opened peoples eyes to the wider Christian experience of how to Celebrate God's love for us I know I have been everywhere from the high liturgy of the Vatican to the free Churches of America. It has been a learning experience of what it means to be Church. 

The other issue is that people have got into a new routine. This new routine has been the absence of going out to Church. Generally it takes a long time for people to get out of the routine that they have been in. People have got used to their Sundays being different. 

It seems that the Christian community will have to work hard at trying to get people used to going. This means that they need to help people  to see that their places of worship are safe. To wipe away the fear will take time.

People have died 

We only have to watch the TV every day since the start of lockdown to see the increasing death rate. I am not going to get into the reasons why for this. That is for another blog and I have reflected on it before.  Part of the tradition of who we are as human beings is that we remember those who have died. We stop and pause in silence and remember. Over the last year many communities have lost a lot of people. There for many have not been able to mourn as a whole community because of restrictions. This has meant that many are in a constant state of flux. They have not had that experience of community mourning. I remember when my dear Father died there were many visits from the community to our house. This important ritual has not been able to happen. The absence of people in the community when everything goes back to what is classed as normal there will be a collective grief.

The Christian community has not spoken to the signs of the time 

I have often thought that generally the Church never really speaks to what is happening in the wider community.  I grant you that lockdown happened quickly and there was not much time to prepare. This though they tell us is the third lockdown. This means that they have had plenty time to really speak into peoples live experiences. I have yet to hear any really clear messages into what people are going through. There is a lot of anxiety in our world today. People are worried about their jobs, their friends, the virus, death, the vaccine, life after lockdown and the list goes on. 

I have not heard much from the Christian church looking at what is actually going on. There have been pockets of good practice of food banks and encouragement in mental health but I am sorry  to say that the advice has been to spiritual. We cant just pray our selves out of a situation. There needs to be especially in the mental health crisis which is just around the corner for real practical solutions.  Now is the time to start this important job. There needs to be a real conversation on how this time has been for everyone. A time where people can tell their story of how they have kept/ or not kept their faith. A Conversation to talk about the sadness anxiety and all that has happened. Before we move on the story of the past has to be told. The Christian Church has to help to vacillate this. We cannot sweep the last year under the carpet.

The Invisible/visible Church

My Mother a few weeks ago met an old friend of hers. As they talked together, at a distance, she realised that this person had no contact with the Church since the start of the first lockdown. Imagine this now! You belong to a a community. You have gone to Church every day for the last 30 years. Suddenly that is pulled away from you. There has been no out reach no conversation. She has no internet so cant access the online Masses and Zoom groups. She has in her words been forgotten. The question she has in her head is do I go back or not. Does the church really want me back. I don’t know where I fit into church anymore 

For others the Church has been very visible on live streaming Mass and group content. But, this is only part of the story. For me it shows the Church at its best and it's worse. It's worse because these people without internet have probably been the ones who have supported the Church for much of their lives. When they need the comfort and support from the local Church more than ever. It's been silent. Many will not return. Why bother when the message, rightly or wrongly, is that the Church does not care about them. Im sure that this is not true but it is what is experienced.  The Church will need to work very hard at bringing people back to the community who have had little or no contact for 18 months. They will again need to listen and work hard at bringing people back and regaining that trust that the community does care. 

There needs to be a national conversation about the Church in lockdown. Without this the church cannot learn from the time it’s been in and how to move on. How can they bring the Sunday obligation back after it being away? Also where’s the Eucharist theology especially when you give communion after mass has finished?  How will the Church do this and communicate it? Will people believe it's  a Sin to miss Sunday Mass anymore. 

Although this is very negative it is also true that the Church has been visible. It has been visible in a new way in our homes for those lucky enough to have the Internet. We have been able to experience different Churches and ways of worship. This is good to help us remember that there are different expressions of worship. Maybe it's a chance to deepen our faith and explore new ways of being with God. This for me has been very positive and listening to others preaching has helped my faith. There has also been an opportunity to connect with other over Alpha groups and faith sharing groups. The trouble is although the Church has been visible it's only been visible for those on the internet in this form. 

There have been other ways where the Church has been visible in helping people through this time. There has been a recognition that the Churches should be open for private prayer. There has been food banks and reaching out to the poor and those on the fringes of society. The Hospital Chaplains have been in the hospitals being with the sick and those families who have lost someone.  

So moving forward:

I have no answers just suggestions from a person who has been immersed in the Church and now sits on the outside looking in. 
  1. A Listening Church. We need to listen to the past experiences the pain the loss the anxiety and the stories of the community. There needs to be in this a conversation. A National conversation on how we learn from this experience, A diocesan conversation on the needs of a particular area and a local conversation on how to win hearts and minds back.
  2. Let the Holy Spirit in. For far too long we have tamed the Holy Spirit. God's life giving spirit needs to blow. We need not be frightened of the power of God. If we learn anything from this time is that we need to ask for a fresh out pouring of the Holy Spirit. Let him out and let him blow through the Church and people of the Church. Listen carefully of where we can be Church in the future
  3. Look after mental health. Rather than being too spiritual the Christian Church will need to help people in their mental health. It can help in people to reengage with society and the wider community. 
  4. We cannot be over Spiritual we cannot pray ourselves out of a situation. 
What is clear to me is that we cannot go back to the place we were before Covid. There is no point in throwing on Courses and plans. We need to go gently with people allow people to talk and get there in their own time. The Church will be a lot smaller as many won't come back but many will and they will need to be looked after. We cannot just throw on Masses and services and think that's what people want.

The challenges are there. It is there. The challenges that were there before Covid remain. Now they're are a lot more for the Church to get it's head around. 



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