What is the role of congregations in the face of a possible epidemic?

We never know when a new flu virus may emerge that creates new threats and challenges. Congregations are continually developing webs of trusted relationships which are potentially as important and useful as our medical technologies during a possible epidemic.

Your congregation has important strengths in a time of community need. When these strengths connect with the complementary strengths of healthcare and public health organizations, it creates a strong, resilient community ready to confront many challenges.

The Strength to Accompany. Faith groups are commonly welcomed into the lives of isolated people. They tend to know which of their members and neighbors may likely be confined at home or in institutions. Since they often move across barriers of family, race, class and other distinctions, they create trusted relationships through which valid information about pandemic flu might flow. Key questions to ask:

• What likely-to-be-overlooked people do we accompany already, such as the homebound elderly or adolescents estranged from school or family?
• How might we form appropriate relationships of trust with others who may need us in crisis?
• Do we have outreach or inreach committees that could be prepared to play an explicit role around a possible pandemic, such as prayer groups who may be tuned to care for others easily overlooked?
• How might we act to ensure the public authorities know about these isolated people that might otherwise be bypassed?

The Strength to Convene. Faith groups often gather in very small and very large groups that cross many lines in order to care for people, or to discuss important moral issues. Sometimes faith leaders work together to form coalitions that constitute the building blocks of larger community efforts, such as we’ve seen recently in the wake of Katrina.

• What groups is our congregation already part of that might help convene people in the context of pandemic flu?
• How might we work with other faith leaders to help create a network of trust and confidence that can extend the capacity of public agencies?
• Are there particular groups in the community that might need special attention or preparation, such as recent immigrants? Could we help convene to ensure they are included in community planning?

The Strength to Connect. Worshipping communities gather people from many backgrounds, ages and interests. These relationships build networks of trust that are crucial in emergencies when normal lines of coordination often break down. These complex relationships extend into neighborhoods and groups which high-level, formal authorities might not see. Thus, faith groups can be crucial connectors in pandemics.

• Let your members know about the numerous connections members already have to multiple agencies and institutions in your community.
• Notice to what agencies your members work in and provide some level of leadership. These may be especially useful when formal lines of relationship are damaged or stressed by crisis.
• Personal relationship augments the formal lines of collaboration among institutions. Consider having different members become familiar with the kinds of paperwork or policies that might govern access to services in a time of crisis so they can help others who may need assistance.

Strength to Frame or Story. Worshipping communities are often trusted to get the story correct, to place disturbing or difficult information in the context of a hopeful and compassionate framework. A pandemic may create swirls of rumor and fear that make effective community response difficult. From crucial “simple” information, such as where to access vaccine, to potentially complex and controversial instructions for quarantine, faith groups will be expected to get the story correct. Some groups may not trust public sources of information, and they may look instead to faith leaders and congregations.

• Do we know where to get timely and accurate information about flu and health challenges?
• Have we considered what kind of theological or ethical issues may need to be addressed around pandemic flu? If needed, where would we seek trusted advice from other faith leaders facing similar challenges?
• Have we considered how we will communicate to all age groups and their caregivers, including children, parents and those that may be isolated?

Strength to Give Sanctuary. Since ancient times, houses of worship have often served as sanctuaries in times of crisis. Faith groups today can extend this idea of sanctuary or safe space to provide available vaccine and health services, care and comfort for people who are ill and their caretakers.

• How might our building be useful to the community as a safe space amid flu?
• Are there things we should prepare for to make sure our building is as safe and accessible as neighbors may expect it to be? Do we need to consider having masks and other sanitary aids on hand?
• Should we plan on ensuring that we are able to secure resources and materials needed to provide safe shelter in crisis?
• Should we think about altering our pattern of public gatherings in light of the potential risks of infectious spread? Should we prepare policies in advance to inform people whether we will alter our public gatherings or not?

Strength to Bless. While public institutions have legal authority to enforce public policies, worshipping groups have the power to offer blessing, comfort and encouragement. Pandemic flu might make people fearful, inflaming old prejudices and divisions. Faith leaders should emphasize values such as trust, inclusion, fairness and compassion – values on which all public policies rest.

• How might we form open relationships now with groups most likely to face exclusion or isolation in the context of pandemic?
• How can we anticipate the pattern of fears most likely to arise in pandemic? How can we practice messages aimed at alleviating those fears in advance?

Strength to Pray and Offer Ritual. Worshipping communities worship. In a time of pandemic, faith groups will face challenges to continue to offer up prayer, rituals of many kinds that undergird the hope, trust and compassion of their members and their community.

• How can we plan to offer worship and participation in key rituals when faced by pandemic?
• Can we anticipate the need for new kinds of ceremonies or, perhaps those less commonly used in non-pandemic times?
• Should we consider meeting with other faith leaders to think about interfaith services that may be appropriate amid pandemic?

Strength to Endure. All of our faith traditions have seen many other pandemics and catastrophes before. This historical perspective is a great strength. While we prepare to protect the community and its vulnerable members, our faith leaders can be confident that we will endure and survive this potential pandemic as we have many others.

• Are we familiar with how our faith tradition has responded to other pandemics and large scale challenges?
• Are there particular revered leaders whose memory may offer relevant guidance to us amid another pandemic season?
• In what way can we learn from other generations who have faced difficult times? How did they do it? What sustained and encouraged them?

By focusing on the strengths of our worshipping communities, our preparations for pandemic conditions build on foundations that have stood against fear and panic many times before offering our community reality-based encouragement. This work of prevention and care honors God’s hope for us all.

Gary R. Gunderson is the Senior Vice President for Health and Welfare Ministries at Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare, Memphis, Tenn.

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