Pandemic Religion Contributions
Item Set
Title
Pandemic Religion Contributions
Description
Materials submitted by users to the Pandemic Religion archive.
Items
-
Website for Christ Church in Poughkeepsie, NY
I have sent you a copy of the Christ Church website. It gives information about our church and its mission along with access to our newsletter and the YouTube videos of our services. I am an ordained priest in the Episcopal Diocese of New York, retired from active service since 2012. When COVID-19 so radically interrupted our regular way of worship and community life, it was a great comfort to discover how we could in fact come together in worship by means of technology. I particularly appreciate our Rector, the Reverend Susan Fortunato, whose sermons are both apt and inspiring. -
Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley v. Sisolak
The Supreme Court denied a request from Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley to hold services on the same terms as other facilities in the state (such as casinos). Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court's more liberal judges in the majority decision, while the ruling drew sharp dissent from the more conservative judges. This is the second decision from the Supreme Court regarding religious institutions' ability to hold services. -
Corona Contemplations
I have been struggling on how to represent the changes and destruction of life as we know it. Time seems to have shifted dramatically and feels like it is being taken apart bit by bit. Not knowing what the future will be like, the only thing we know is that life will never go back to the way it was in the past. I am participating in a text study and creative arts class which has really helped how I view art and study of sources that guide me and inspire me. -
Corona Contemplations
I have been struggling on how to represent the changes and destruction of life as we know it. Time seems to have shifted dramatically and feels like it is being taken apart bit by bit. Not knowing what the future will be like, the only thing we know is that life will never go back to the way it was in the past. I am participating in a text study and creative arts class which has really helped how I view art and study of sources that guide me and inspire me. -
May The God Of Hope Fill You (Romans 15:13)
Our church choir, as is most church choirs, is a tight community that was devastated once we learned that not only would we not be able to gather together until the pandemic eased, but the act of singing together could physically be the most harmful thing we could do to spread this horrible disease. Though zoom calls were nice for fellowship, our choir deeply missed the ways we could connect to one another through music. To make a long story short, I wanted to write a piece of music that could be sung by members of our choir from their homes, that also provided optimism and hope. I stumbled upon Romans 15:13, which became the text for the music included in this post. I am grateful for the technology to be able to put something like this together, and I am praying and longing for the day where we can sing again together, in person, to worship God. -
How Will You Move Forward?
"How Will You Move Forward?" is spray-painted onto a red brick sidewalk along 7th Street NW in Washington, D.C., in the near the Chinatown/Gallery Place Metro stop. The art was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. -
Funeral in the time of COVID-19
An image portraying how funerals have changed in response of the COVID-19 pandemic, including reduced attendance, face masks, and social distance between attendees. -
Weekly Torah Class via Zoom
Rabbi Mark Urkowitz teaches his weekly Torah class, now via Zoom, for the residents of The Medallion, a Jewish senior care facility in Houston, May 2020. Photo credit: Stephanie Kleiner From the collections of the Houston Jewish History Archive, Woodson Research Center, Rice University -
Virtual Havdalah
Capital Camps' first ever Virtual Havdalah. 150 Camp Families connected with them over Zoom and facebook live, and even more have watched the recording posted to their facebook page. It was a magical evening connecting their camp community across the US and globe -
Weekly Virtual Shabbat
Karen Levi contributed this image to the Capital Jewish Museum's COVID-19 archive, documenting her weekly virtual Shabbat -
Seder Plate for Virtual Seder
Seder plate for virtual Seder. Contributor Karen Levi drew items she couldn't get at height of Pandemic fear. -
Free Prayers from Latter-day Saint Missionaries
A typical missionary experience for young men in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would involve a lot of person to person interaction through knocking on doors, approaching people on the street, and being in strangers home. With COVID-19 who wants strangers in their home, right? These missionaries found a creative way to still try to serve the community they have been assigned to. When we drove past they were dancing and twirling their homemade signs, waving at cars, and encouraging people to honk. They were on one of the busiest intersections in the city. -
Keeping Religion Safe and Vital: Congregation Beth Israel in Portland Oregon
Congregation Beth Israel in Portland, Oregon was first established in 1858, It is currently part of the Union of Reform Judaism. The congregation is dedicated to meaningful spiritual experience and commitment to social justice. Since mid March of 2012 CBI has reached out to those most vulnerable to Covid-19 and offered events and services on Zoom and other platforms. -
A Hospice Chaplain
As a hospice chaplain I serve nursing home residents. Several of the facilities have restricted who can enter. As such my work has shifted to a telephonic ministry. For the individuals I can visit it means donning PPE and establishing a spiritual presence through gown, gloves and face mask. I also provide spiritual care for a residential community for individuals with Down Syndrome. The facility has been in lock down since the pandemic started so there are no group gatherings. Chapel services are prerecorded and the residents watch them on YouTube. This has in some respects expanded the residents and staff I minister to as some who were not able to make it to chapel now see the video service where they were not able to. Has my misistry changed? Yes. In some ways sadly as I am not able to be face to face with some. In other ways I am encouraged by the new opportunities and wondering what will carry into the coming days. -
Early Bird COVID-19 Sermon For The Jewish New Year
A key prayer connected with the Jewish High Holy Day services states in part, "“On Rosh Hashanah it is inscribed, and on Yom Kippur it is sealed, how many shall pass away and how many shall be born, who shall live and who shall die, who in good time and who in an untimely death. Who shall have rest and who shall wander. Who shall become rich and who impoverished.” This sermon is about how the pandemic has affected our feelings about this chilling prayer about fate and how we might interpret it. An alternate "gentler, kinder" version is offered and discussed. This sermon will be preached in mid-September during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year Please note: For the date below, I put the month and day I plan to preach the sermon on Zoom; the date I "prepublished" it is June 24th, 2020 in my blog, offbeatcompassion.com -
"Minced" virtual southern Jewish cooking competition
Four staff members of the Institute of Southern Jewish Life participated in a Facebook Live cooking competition via Zoom, hosted by ISJL Historian Dr. Josh Parshall and Dr. Marcie Cohen Ferris, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill Professor Emeritus and scholar of foodways and southern and Jewish cultures. -
Institute of Southern Jewish Life Pass(over) the Seder Plate Video
A video from Institute of Southern Jewish Life celebrating Passover with a virtual passing of the Seder plate. All the staff at the ISJL participate to virtually welcome Passover. This video was shared on social media with ISJL supporters and partners. -
Easter for two
Not being able to go on retreat as planned for Holy Week, I created my own retreat time at home. Together with my partner, I created an Exultet roll for use at our 4:30 AM Easter Vigil. I chanted the Easter Proclamation off this roll and we had a complete service of our own, but for the Sacrament, including Gregorian chant and a reading from the Paschal homily of St. John Chrysostom. Easter came all the same! -
Medicine and Faith
I am a medical doctor and a person of faith. During the pandemic I have written several blog posts from these two perspectives. Several have discussed our family religious observances at home. -
Lent in the Time of Pandemic
I am Roman Catholic. Lent, the time of penance leading up to Easter, is the most solemn time of the year. For me, it is also a time of extra reflection on the mysteries of Christ's life and death, while continuing to live in the hope of the resurrection. This year, Lent was broken in half by the sudden imposition of "stay-home" orders that prevented us from going to work, going out to eat, going to mass, or enjoying most recreational activities, such as movies, plays, or concerts. I missed all of these communal activities. Soon it became clear, though, that we all were in this together. Shocking and unbelievable though it was, the whole world had shut down. On March 27, 2020, Pope Francis held a special service at the Vatican to ask God to end the plague and to give a blessing so we had the strength to endure what was coming. This haunting image of him alone in St. Peter's Square reflects to me the melancholy feeling of the time. It was as if the whole world was experiencing Lent together. -
Study, study, study
Like you, I have lots of time on my hands during the past several months. I have chosen to increase my knowledge of Judaism by studying online with my professors in Jerusalem (Hebrew University), here at home at my synagogue, and with the Jewish Theological Seminary in NY. The webinars have been free, usually one hour, presentations on Zoom with hundreds of other adult learners. A wonderful way to connect and learn from some of the leading experts in many fields of research. -
Zion Hill Church of the Brethren March Facebook Posts
Posts made to the congregation's Facebook page -
"God Be With You Till We Meet Again"
The First Parish (Unitarian Universalist) Weston, Massachusetts, choir sings "God Be With You Till We Meet Again." Choir members sang individually, and Max Hall synchronized the voices. -
Apostolic House of Faith Facebook posts March-May
Posts made to the Apostolic House of Faith including sermons, updates, and inspirational messages. -
First United Methodist Church of East Liverpool Facebook posts during March
Facebook posts that cover corona virus procedures, inspirational messages, livestreams, etc. posted during March