Postponed

Postponed

Usually this phrase is used on the rare occasion that all the stars do not align for a regular event and there is a hope that the event will eventually take place. Today, the word postponed has taken on a new form. Church services, fundraisers, baptisms, and book studies have all been halted and, it is sad to say, we do not know when they will start again. Currently, the White House guidelines would have us back in worship for Palm Sunday, April 5th, but the current CDC and PA Health Department recommendations have that time closer to the middle of May. So for now, postponed is our phrase of choosing.

I have been wonderfully surprised about the outpouring of understanding and support for the faith leader’s recommendations and actions to not hold any gatherings at this time; but we always have rebels. Usually, I like questioning the status quo and pushing the limits but in this situation, there is no room for anything but conformity.

This past weekend, a church near Greensburg decided to hold their regular service. This is selfish. Essentially ignoring the experts’ advice, this church is doing nothing but reinforcing Christian entitlement and showing a blatant ignorance of viral infection. I think what upsets me the most is when the pastor is quoted in saying that he declares, anyone in attendance that may be infected, is healed. I have as much hope in God’s miracles as the next sane Christian but this virus will not go away with our hopes. The only solution to the eventual remediation of the COVID-19 virus is to distance ourselves from one another and to not overwhelm our healthcare system with a large influx of sick people.

To anyone that disagrees with me, I would love to know why. If you think that this is an overreaction, you are right, because that is the only way we can combat a viral pandemic. If you are blatantly ignoring the scientists’ warnings and not practicing social distancing, please know that you are part of the problem and not the solution.

On the last Sunday that my churches regularly gathered I said that this is the time for the Church to shine. I 100% believe that the Church is not defined by our regular gatherings of worship, but it is instead defined by our connectedness and compassion. I know that people often define their faith by being regular worshipers and I applaud people for having steadfast devotion. But I urge people to see that their faith is more than showing up to church on Sunday. Doing works of compassion and staying connected with the people you know and love are the most important aspects of our faith. Friends, the Church was made to combat the coronavirus. Yes, this is a huge pain in our stubborn rears, but we have to do everything we can to help our neighbors in this time of need and we have to believe in the power of the Holy Spirit working between us even though we are distant.

I want to make a disclaimer: I have a pretty good BS sniffer and it’s working in overdrive listening to some faith leaders pushing back on social distancing guidelines. It pains me to say this but I think faith leaders are scared that their churches will be financially crippled by society’s response to the spread of this virus. Without regular services and offerings, churches will see a financial hit to our regular budgets, but I have faith to see that we will weather this storm. I have an itching suspicion that there is a financial push to some of these leaders’ ignoring of common sense social distancing practices. Listen to me: if we are making decisions that could infect us or our neighbors because we are afraid of the financial ramifications, those decisions are not faithful. We must do what is in the best interest of our neighbors.



So what are we doing to be the Church when being Church isn’t normal? We have to innovate and try new things. Online prayer services, worshiping from our living rooms (or from bed, if you prefer), zoom Bible studies, etc. will be commonplace for some time. But don’t be afraid of the unknown, have hope that God is working in all of this, and that we will see the beauty of the Church revealed in this season of life.

~Pastor Ryan

I'm a hugger...

Friends,

I am a hugger. That is probably no surprise to most of you but I find powerful meaning in physical touch. Whether it's snuggles from my kids before they go to bed, a peck on the cheek from the most senior member of my church (love you, Kay!), or giving a hug to someone I have not seen in a while, being physically close to other people is important to me. But what happens when it becomes unacceptable to be close to one another during a viral outbreak? I have a few reflections from someone that needs hugs on a regular basis.

To start, smother your pets. My dog is attached at my hip when I am home so the COVID-19 outbreak has caused my dog to be my best friend. Frequent head rubs, pats on his shoulder, and the occasional kiss, my dog is getting spoiled because I'm somewhat apprehensive about petting my kids :-). For more information on how this affects our furry friends click here.

What I really want to do the most is hold my kids tight and give each other mutual comfort in the midst of this pandemic. In reality, if my immediate family gets the new coronavirus, we should be able to weather the storm and overcome it. Without a positive test result in the immediate area (yet), I have not completely separated my interactions with my children. I am still in the public, even though their interactions are being limited to our home, so I have to make sure that I am not bringing germs into the home. Just because there are no confirmed cases around Vandergrift or Ebensburg does not mean that the virus is not in our communities. I suppose it is a false hope that I keep holding onto but eventually my habits with my kids will have to change.

Just getting into my vehicle, getting gas, getting into my office; it has all changed. When I see someone that I have not seen in a while, I want to shake their hand or give them a hug. To be honest, it feels as though I am unable to fully show my admiration and appreciation for the presence of that person that stands right in front of me. As the Rev. David Ackerman said recently to me at my ordination service "Everything in my soul wants to give you a hug right now." Those words meant a lot to me. You see, I am not the greatest communicator. The reason why I seek physical touch is because I often struggle to find the words to fully share how I feel. I am sure that my desire to be close to others has been a result of my speech impediment that largely affected my social interactions as a child. With that being said, this pandemic is going to cause us to be better communicators. As a community leader, I have picked up the phone more in the last two weeks a lot more than I typically do. Also, I plan on writing more online content and finishing projects that I have been meaning to do for some time.

But if I can't get my regular (and irregular) hugs from people, how will I/we survive? The most important thing to remember is self care. We cannot be glued to our phones and the news every second of the day and become more fearful every time a new headline pops up. Do what you need to do to take care of yourself and your family. If you work from home, make sure you are still practicing healthy boundaries around time and wellness. Remember, this will end and we will be able to return to our regular lives (possibly with some changes). In the long run, there will be a new normal and remote conferencing and conference calls will be regular parts of our industries.

Some advice, unsolicited but warranted: Just because you live in an area where there are no confirmed cases or you may not be showing symptoms does not mean that you can't spread the virus or are not infected. Most healthy and regularly well people might get a fever or a cough from this but because it is so contagious, we could easily spread it to people that may not have as good of an outcome as some might. Get sleep, take zinc and vitamin C, and wash your hands while being cognizant of your interactions with other people, including your family.

I want to give a virtual hug to my fellow huggers and those that need it. We are in this together even if we are separated. We are resilient and blessed and whether you find hope through your faith or your faith in humanity we will be stronger because of this. Take care, go for a walk, get some sunshine (the sun is shining!), and stay connected.

Naloxone on Our Streets

Please read this carefully: Today, Pennsylvania is giving out naloxone to anyone that wants it. (This is nothing new, by the way. Counties and agencies have been doing this for years.) I have read many posts that do no not like this. I understand and I hear you.

Now hear the facts: opioids are a highly addictive drug. People are prescribed them everyday and many of those people become addicted at no fault of their own. Sometimes people make bad decisions because they are looking for a release or they are self medicating as a result of our crappy health care system. Addiction is nasty; it doesn't discriminate and it is a disease. When opioids get into our bodies it changes brain chemistry and we no longer have the ability to resist urges of using the drug. The problem with heroin is that you can build up a toleration to it and you need something stronger or more of it. Now enters fentanyl. This is a synthetic drug that is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine. If you don't have a toleration to large amounts of opioids, fentanyl is deadly. Also, carfentanil (elephant tranquilizer) is 100 times stronger than fentanyl and is that much more deadly.

On to the social aspects of this: opioid overdoses are the biggest crisis in our society. People die everyday from these drugs and we keep pointing fingers instead of finding solutions. Naloxone is a reversal drug that can save thousands of lives.

People complain that if you let an addict live they will just do it again. Yes, that is right, it's called an addiction. The goal with naloxone is to keep someone alive after an overdose but the key is getting them into rehab facilities and help them to recover from the addiction. That requires a good healthcare system and a cooperating justice system. That relationship needs a lot of work in our country.

While we are on the healthcare idea: People say that is not right for drug users to get free help while others have to pay so much for common medications. Again, this is why our healthcare needs reform. Healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. And if it is a right then it should be offered equally to all. How we do that is a different story. Folks don't like the Affordable Healthcare Act, and that's fine, but how else are we going to offer healthcare to all? Also, these corporations that make billions for their shareholders that run insurance companies, pharmaceuticals, and hospital systems need to be controlled. Nobody should be making these crazy amounts of profits off of the healthcare system.

The last thing I will comment on this has to do with faith and our common respect for one another. Compassion is the hallmark of the mission of Jesus Christ and compassion is how we all should treat one another. Please read the story of the Good Samaritan and tell me what Jesus expects of us. Loving our neighbor doesn't have qualifiers and we cannot judge others for their actions even if they are mistakes.

Naloxone is a needed drug and it needs to be on our streets. We also need systems and organizations that are dedicated in helping those with addiction.

(If you want to make a comment please give respect to people that have lost loved ones to this epidemic and only post facts if you have a different opinion.) If you need help or know someone that is looking for help, please message me.