The World Health Organization declared the spread of coronavirus a pandemic<\/a> on Wednesday and Maxim and Lumsden are at the epicenter of the outbreak in the U.S. King County, in which Seattle and most of the presbytery\u2019s churches are located, reported 234 confirmed cases and 26 deaths from the disease on March 11.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was some mild criticism of our recommendation to cancel services,\u201d said Lumsden, noting that many people don\u2019t relate to virtual church services the same as meeting in person. \u201cBut if you\u2019re not in a location where you\u2019re hearing from people who are affected, it may not seem as critical.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou may not be in a highly affected area right now, but that can change rapidly as we discovered,\u201d added Maxim. \u201cWe spent two weeks consulting and planning for how to help congregations make these decisions about worship and meetings. Because of that, we\u2019re able to mobilize and think strategically about how to move into addressing the community\u2019s needs around travel, supplies, care and schools.\u201d<\/p>\n National response <\/strong><\/p>\n The Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), reiterated these concerns in a Presbyterian News Service article<\/a> this week, saying, \u201cIn this time of crisis, we are presented with a challenge that calls us to engage in deep prayer and commonsense protection against a virus that we are not able to contain at this time.<\/p>\n \u201c[Congregation and their presbytery leaders] need to determine what is best for their community and the individuals who gather for worship.\u201d<\/p>\n Seattle Presbytery leaders said 80-85 percent of churches have implemented or are more heavily promoting Sunday morning livestream options or recordings of services. Many sessions are meeting via conference call or video conference. Still more churches are utilizing online giving as they continue to serve needs of parishioners and those around them.<\/p>\n Online giving helpful for churches<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cPrioritizing further, or setting up, the means to meet virtually is an important aspect of protecting our people at this time, but it\u2019s easy to overlook that if people aren\u2019t in church, they often aren\u2019t giving,\u201d he said. While streaming worship may entail additional technology and licensing for music, he said establishing online giving<\/a> is an effective way to continue the church\u2019s ministry even when services are held virtually.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve made it easy and quick to establish online giving with a minimum of hurdles for churches,\u201d he said. The setup process at the Presbyterian Foundation takes only a few business days following the submission of an application and Hay noted it is the most cost-effective online giving platform available, including a mobile application and eliminating administrative overhead for church financial officers.<\/p>\n \u201cIf churches have been hesitant to implement online giving, this is an opportune time to implement it so they are able to maintain their cash flow and continue in ministry in a needed time,\u201d Hay said.<\/p>\n Social distancing is loving your neighbor<\/strong><\/p>\n Also following the guidance of Nelson, leaders in the Presbytery of Philadelphia<\/a> have prepared information for their congregations which span a large geographic area of urban, rural and inner-city communities, hoping to mitigate the spread of the disease and the fear that accompanies it. While the region hasn\u2019t seen a widespread outbreak, the presbytery has churches in four of the six region\u2019s counties where confirmed cases have been reported.<\/p>\n \u201cLeaders at the local level are the ones who know their people best, and they\u2019re the ones who have to make the decisions about how to serve them,\u201d said Rev. Ruth Faith Santana-Grace, Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of Philadelphia. \u201cThey\u2019re trying to navigate the frightening reality [of the virus spread\u2019s unknown aspects] with common sense and caring for one another.\u201d<\/p>\n While there is uncertainty about whether or not to hold the presbytery\u2019s April meeting, Greg Klimovitz, Associate Presbyter of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, said an important aspect of their conversations include how to \u201ccounter some of the fear and anxiety that is real, but not dismissing it, especially in response to those who feel vulnerable.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSocial distancing is an exercise in loving your neighbor,\u201d he continued, saying modifying other church practices such as greeting, communion and giving are common-sense ways to keep people safe. \u201cSome may say, \u2018It\u2019s not a big deal, I don\u2019t feel sick.\u2019 But it\u2019s not about you \u2013 it\u2019s a way to love our neighbor as ourselves. We need to think about the most vulnerable around us.\u201d<\/p>\n Resources:<\/p>\n Pastoral Statement on the Coronavirus \/ COVID-19<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Gregg Brekke<\/em><\/a> is an award-winning freelance writer, editor, photographer and videographer. Send comments on this article to Robyn Davis Sekula at <\/em>robyn.sekula@presbyterianfoundation.org<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Churches across the nation are evaluating if services should be held this weekend. As the COVID-19 virus spreads, it\u2019s a very real question that\u2019s being handled differently in every area. 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Churches that can harness these digital tools are in a unique position to assist the community around them, said, Robert Hay, Jr., the Presbyterian Foundation\u2019s Senior Ministry Relations Officer for the Southeast.<\/p>\n