07/06/2020

A note from Bishop Dillahunt: Flexibility is key as we begin the ‘living with COVID’ phase of pandemic

Dear Partners on this Journey,

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment.  The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”  - Matthew 22:36-40

Last week, Governor Mike DeWine unveiled a new ‘Public Health Advisory System’ created by the Ohio Department of Health based on several key indicators the team has been tracking during the pandemic. According to the ODH Coronavirus website, ‘The Public Health Advisory Alert System is a color-coded system designed to supplement existing statewide orders through a data-driven framework to assess the degree of the virus’ spread and to engage and empower individuals, businesses, communities, local governments, and others in their response and actions.’

So, as good Lutherans, we ask, ‘What does this mean?’ It means we are in a new phase of the pandemic in which, as Governor DeWine said, we are ‘living with COVID’ and need to adjust our daily lives and worship gatherings accordingly.

Below is the Public Health Advisory System map from the ODH website.

Currently, Butler, Franklin, Hamilton and Montgomery counties are listed at a Level 3. Governor DeWine recommends that congregations in counties at a Level 3 should worship online and limit in-person gatherings. This is a recommendation, not a mandate. Your pastor(s) and leadership team should work together to decide what is the most loving response for your congregation in light of the Public Health Advisory level in your county.

These levels will change according to the number of new cases, hospitalizations and ICU admissions, as well as other factors. It is important that your congregation has an in-person gathering plan that is both flexible and something you can follow. We are going to be in and out of the various levels for the foreseeable future and it is important that your congregation be ready to adapt based on the current situation. Please continue to monitor and adhere to, as we do in the synod office, the recommendations and public health orders given at the Federal, State and local levels. Links to these various resources are provided in our COVID-19 Resources section of our website.

An example of new public health orders at the local level is the mandate from cities like Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton and Dublin for individuals to wear face coverings while in public. Please visit your local county/city/township, etc. website for their specific public health orders related to the pandemic. Your ‘in-person gathering plan’ must be able to adapt and change to accommodate public health orders such as this. Does your current plan allow for changes? If not, please gather your leadership team (at a safe distance or virtually) to discuss how your plan can be made more flexible so it can be adhered to in the months to come.

Having a flexible plan is especially important for those congregations that will be utilizing Pulpit Supply preachers. Our new pulpit supply process connects supply preachers and congregations directly. As the letter from Dr. Lynn Nakamura says, ‘Congregations will be asked to contact them (supply preachers) directly so that congregations and worship leaders may engage in these important conversations about congregational plans to safeguard their members’ and worship leaders’ health.’ If your congregation does not have an in-person gathering plan in place, or if the supply preacher does not feel comfortable with your plan, they will not join your congregation in person, for their safety and yours. Please see the Pulpit Supply section of our website to read the letter and explanation of the new Pulpit Supply process and to see our lists of available supply preachers.

As I mentioned in my last Note to the Synod on 6.29.20, the Out of the Box Team is working on assessing the current needs of the congregations in our synod to provide online worship and other virtual gatherings. Rostered Ministers should look for a survey in their email box this week. Please open the survey and complete it so we can properly assess where we are and where we need to be as a synod to ‘live with COVID’ and still provide worship, Bible study and other forms of spiritual support and growth for our members.

Remember to physically distance, wash your hands, wear a face covering when appropriate, check in on one another, and serve however and whenever possible. These are days like we have never seen in our lifetime. We have been presented with challenges, as well as opportunities, to be Christ to one another and our community. May we be empowered by the Holy Spirit to meet these challenges and opportunities with courage and not with timidity. ‘For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.’ -1 Timothy 1:7

We are ‘Stronger and Better Together: Joining Jesus in the Restoration of the World.’ Let’s not move forward in fear, but in love for our neighbor as ourselves.

Yours in Christ,

Bishop Suzanne Darcy Dillahunt