Connecting Neighbors

Ready Congregations

• Create a decision-making team (pastor, lay leader, worship, finance, trustees?) that can make decisions quickly.
• Identify a leader (other than the pastor) who will coordinate a team of volunteers and be responsible for the church’s response to the pandemic.
• List the church’s resources. Include physical and communication resources as well as the gifts and talents of the church members.
• Establish or use an existing “phone tree” or other method of connecting with congregants. Consider and adapt to preferences and accessibility concerns as much as possible. Test your process to make sure all your regular members and frequent attendees can be reached.
• Make a list of your most vulnerable members, shut-ins, and others with special needs. Check in with these individuals regularly by phone (don’t rely on text or email) to make sure they are doing well and ask the following:
  • Ask how they’re doing —
  • Ask permission from members to share information as needed.
  • Do they have someone to help them — a care giver or someone else?
  • Do they need anything they can’t get for themselves?
  • Do they use a grocery delivery system or a meals-on-wheels service, etc.?
  • Do they need groceries, prescription medicines, etc.? Don’t assume you know what they need and remember they may be isolated because of the virus.

• Identify spiritual/emotional needs for additional follow-up.
• Minister spiritually to congregants in need. Consider Lay Ministers, Stephen Ministers and others who have some training in caring for others.
• Use existing small groups to meet the needs of the congregation during the term of the pandemic.
• Establish a communication strategy to keep members informed of the status of the disease, the needs of the congregation, and activities and events scheduled or canceled. Use existing teams already in place to carry the messages forward. For large churches, establish a communications team if necessary.
• Continue to follow the recommendations of the state and federal health authorities to lower your risk of exposure.
  • Download the apps to get alerts or updates from these agencies.
  • Get your household ready for COVID-19 from the CDC
  • Checklist for household readiness for COVID-19 from the CDC

As you plan, prepare and respond to the coronavirus, remember that we are also called to care for our neighbors. Please feel free to share this with your neighbors, with other faith-based organizations and others who may benefit from this information.