Dear friends,

This is the first of what we presume will be a series of correspondences regarding the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Staying connected and keeping safe are vital, and will likely become even more so as the pandemic progresses. None of us is alone in this (or in anything).

Our sources of information include 

• the Public Health Agency of Canada (specifically this site),

  

• the BC Centre for Disease Control (specifically this site), 
• the United Church of Canada’s statements (like this one), and 
• the Pacific Mountain Regional Council (like this pastoral letter).

No doubt there are many other good sources of information. We also urge a critical reading of some sources, especially social media. Emergency preparedness plans are in place and following them, based on the input of experts, will help all of us through what may be a difficult time.

The first steps to being appropriately cautious are the same as during any flu season:

• Don’t panic.
• Stay home if you show or feel any symptoms of illness.
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
• Sneeze or cough into your sleeve.
• Keep some physical distance from others.

“Keeping some physical distance from others” may mean avoiding public and social gatherings. Officials are not asking that we stay home from Sunday worship. We do ask that we all refrain from shaking hands or hugging. And if staying home helps assuage anxiety, there are multiple ways to worship from home:

• Our podcast, “Freedom to Love and Be Loved” is now active again;
• ConnectNorth (courtesy of Trinity UC in Prince George, except for the Sunday following Christmas) offers livestreaming;
• Highlands UC offers livestreaming; and
• Cranbrook UC has recently begun livestreaming (they also have a cool “Relax corner”).

There are myriad other churches offering online connection and many churches offer a podcast. The Pacific Mountain Region offers more information on “creative ways to worship from a distance” here. 

At least for the foreseeable future, our sanctuary will be open on Sunday mornings and worship will proceed mostly as usual. Communion is an exception to the latter point: we will not be serving the elements during Communion in April. Similarly, lunch after the ‘Child Within’ service is cancelled for March. Tuesday morning (10:45am) spiritual practice will proceed.

Our Maundy Thursday gathering (April 9) will be a type of experiment. We will eat simultaneously, but gathered via video conference, rather than in person. Expect more details on this as we iron them out. Good Friday (10am) and Easter services (7am and 10am) will proceed as scheduled. 

Step Into Spring had been tentatively scheduled for late April, but we have cancelled that.

All of this is subject to new information from experts and officials.

Our board will develop an emergency response plan, which will consider safe ways of supporting each other in the event the outbreak reaches Castlegar (which is more than likely), and will outline the circumstances in which we will close the church building.

For now, we hope you find solace knowing that appropriate mechanisms to slow the spread are in place. Saying, “Don’t panic” is easy; not panicking is much more difficult. Preparation and awareness are the best ways to avoid panic (for example, stock up gradually on staples; don’t raid the toilet paper aisle!). Let’s be compassionate with each other, especially those prone to anxiety. And let’s remember to laugh and continue as if we are God’s beloved.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.

In the peace of Christ,

Our Annual Congregational Meeting (ACM) is January 26, 2020 following worship (beginning around 11:15am).

Here is the report on our activities in 2019.

The proposed changes to our congregation’s governance structure are here.

What is “success” for a church? I’ve been mulling over this question for, well, my entire adult life. At the Kootenay Faith Fest in June of 2019, our keynote speaker, Carol Howard Merritt offered some ideas of what “success” looks like in the church. She described a successful church as a place of healing; she spoke to the necessity of consisting of multiple generations; and she highlighted the need for innovation, where decision-makers say, “yes, and…” to new ideas. I agree with all of these points. If a church doesn’t offer healing in the case of brokenness, there’s no gospel there. If it welcomes people of only a narrow age range, that’s not exactly a full community. And if innovation isn’t welcome, the church should expect to shutter its doors before long.

If a church doesn’t offer healing in the case of brokenness, there’s no gospel there.

But hold on a sec…”a place of healing”? Isn’t that what a hospital is for? Churches are scarce equipped to suture a deep wound or provide an IV drip!

The healing miracles described in the New Testament may well be intended literally. It’s entirely possible that Jesus had special abilities: maybe he studied reiki or another Eastern tradition (this was long before Western medicine). It’s also possible these stories describe spiritual wounds, or brokenness of the soul. These days, few churches serve as places of physical healing. But if we agree with Manfred Max-Neef that spiritual needs are to be seen on par with physical needs, churches can offer a lot of healing. I might even assert that churches can offer more healing than the places we typically associate with healing, because every soul is wounded in some way.

When I talk to practitioners, I often hear a deep yearning to be able to address root causes. The medication, surgery, and lifestyle changes practitioners might recommend or prescribe usually treat that which is easy to detect. But what about the underlying anxiety from seeing the challenges present in the world and feeling utterly undercapacitated to address them? Or in the case of dying, maybe there’s some important pain relief from narcotics or physical therapies. But what about the meaninglessness some feel when face-to-face with their final breath? This is where a “successful” church can step in.

A “successful” church treats the root causes of that which ails the soul.

I suggest a healthy dose of skepticism for anyone who claims a pastor can cure sickness, or a church can restore sight. A cure? Not likely. But healing? Absolutely! Our lives can be made whole even in sickness, even at death or in grief. People with disabilities who shouldn’t expect a cure, per se, should absolutely expect to live with wholeness. A “whole” life doesn’t mean an “easy” life. A cured body isn’t necessary for a healed soul.

The soul begins to heal when our brokenness is acknowledged and accepted (and not avoided). The soul continues its healing when we are embraced for our whole selves (and not asked to leave a particular characteristic at home). The soul begins to remove its bandages when it offers healing to another, when genuine community forms.

A “successful” church is a place of deep healing, where we are made whole through mutual care.

A “successful” church recognizes that none of us is actually whole yet, and supports one another on the journey.

A “successful” church reminds us of the gospel story, the one where love overcomes injustice, and where even enemies are embraced as loved ones.

When the kin-dom is fulfilled, every church will be a place of healing, through which our journeys to wholeness continue.