Thursday, Oct. 1
By Katherine Schneider, for the CVPost
Has your faith changed during COVID? For me, beliefs and practices have changed and/or come up for serious questioning.
That perennial question of why bad things happen to good people has come roaring back strongly in my prayer life. My provisional answer still stands: that God didn’t cause it, but does walk beside us.
But that doesn’t stop my need to complain to my higher power. According to a recent Gallup survey, 19% of Americans said that their faith has strengthened during the pandemic and only 3% said that it was weakened.
If God walks beside us, I figure it happens through people and animals. The “people” part of that has been a focus of my prayer life: How can I be one of those people who’s there for others?
‘. . . what can I do?’
When helping with Inclusive Ministry services and greeting at the Community Table can’t happen, what can I do? I’ve found plenty of ways, but it took changing my focus from me as angry victim of added restrictions because of COVID, to me as an empowered server as well as a grateful recipient of services.
Religious services online instead of in-person has been a huge change for many religious organizations. It’s been enriching to go virtually to other denominations’ services and other churches of my denomination. However, it’s also made me realize how much I miss the social aspects of going to services.
I miss my backrow gang.
Encouragement to practice “spiritual communion” has been given to those of us who are elderly or at risk. It just isn’t the same to me and I struggle with it. I also miss the singing together, even though I sound more like a crow than an angel.
As COVID drags on, I’m challenged about my beliefs like keeping the Sabbath holy. It was easy to attend services and mentally check that box off on my faith scorecard. Those who have always maintained they worship better in nature can show the rest of us how to do this . . . please!
No progress on bucket list project
It’s strange that I “should” have more time to pray, read Scripture, and engage in justice and charity work, but I haven’t made any progress on my bucket list project of reading the whole Bible. I’m still in Numbers.
Apparently – and unfortunately – the pandemic will give me more months to practice my faith in tough times.
I pray for strength and comfort for those who have lost loved ones and those who are isolated at home and/or are in care facilities confined to their rooms. I pray also for those on the frontlines of meeting human needs, be they nurses, teachers, grocery clerks, parents and caregivers.
And I pray for all of us, that we listen to our better angels about caring for our neighbors and for creation.