We weren't designed to live alone. We talk about being independent but in truth we are interdependent. We need each other in order to fulfil our physical needs but we also have our mental, social and spiritual needs.
Many churches are using this time of isolation to experiment with new ways of joining together using technology. Last Sunday worship was streamed from various places to allow people to join in remotely. Even those who don't have the technology knew that the services were taking place and they could pray at the same time.
One group of churches where I often help out has gone one further and they are steaming Morning Prayer at 8.30 each day and I've been joining in with that. In my isolation I am finding that to be a source of strength, knowing that others are joining in remotely too.
I'm phoning various people on a regular basis to support and encourage them. One of my ladies, E. has a son who is stuck in Portugal having gone on a business trip. I'd love to visit her and share a cuppa but that's not allowed so a chat has to suffice. S has a heart condition which would make Corvid 19 exceptionally dangerous and she is frightened (but she'd never say so!).
And I am being contacted by various people especially my cousin J's wife. J is having chemotherapy at the moment so his wife has plenty of worries of her own but each night around 7.30pm we have a chat on Facetime. I find that especially comforting as I know that if I didn't answer she would alert someone to check on me or, if necessary, alert the emergency services. As an older single person living alone, I find that very re-assuring.
Our church did its first FaceBook streaming of worship last Sunday. Not being on FB we watched the YouTube version on Monday. This Sunday it will be a Zoom and FaceBook service. There will be a test run on Friday to see if we can get it to work. Necessity is the Mother of Invention!
ReplyDeletethis social distancing will be hard for the social go getters, but I also fear for the introverts, particularly those that live alone.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think we were ever meant to live in isolation. I am just glad we live in a time with the technology to keep so in touch. It is a good thing
ReplyDeleteMy church did a Youtube version of a service and will be filming another one tomorrow. We are lucky in having a professional choir and many of them have recordings available so we can still enjoy their wonderful music as well.
ReplyDeleteThe Associate minister had been hosting lenten Bible study on Thursday evenings and last week they switched to Zoom and they will do the same this week and they will continue on longer than initially intended.
As part of the staff we all meet via Zoom twice a week to go over things and figure out what else we can do. Many of us are keeping touch with friends at church and the Pastoral Care team is making a regular effort to keep in touch with all the shut ins and any who are in distress.
It is a strange time....
Yes, those human connections help us to be less isolated. I am looking at week three now of being home alone. My church did live streaming services the previous two Sundays and I was very happy attending in that way, and surprised by how warm and friendly it felt. I saw the names scrolling past of who was attending and we typed in comments, it was good. I offered on my blog to send a card to every one who requests one as my contribution to being a community.
ReplyDelete