Behind the Numbers
Twelve months. It has been twelve months since we came into our church to share Communion with one another. Fifty-two Sundays have gone by since we filled the pews and raised our voice and celebrated the holy mysteries together. We are scheduled to come back into the church this week for the first time in a year, but, before we do, we must stop to remember all that has happened and all that has been lost during that time.
One-half million. In our nation, 518,000 people have died from confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19. That is nearly the populations of Washington and Benton Counties combined. That is one sixth of our state’s population. That is more than one in a thousand people in our country. Across the globe, the death toll is nearly 30,000,000 people. Here, in our state, it is over 5,000. The average life expectancy in the United States has fallen by a full year to 77.8, and for the Black and Hispanic populations it has fallen by 2.7 years and 1.9 years, respectively. Thankfully, the number of pandemic deaths is now growing more slowly, but it is still growing.
12.5. In Washington County, there are approximately 12.5 active cases of COVID-19 per 10,000 people. At that level, we meet the bishop’s guidelines for in-person, indoor worship, but we cannot gather safely unless we take steps to prevent further community spread. Because of that, we will only use eighteen pews in the church at a time. Everyone will need to wear a mask, and double masks are strongly recommended. We will need to keep at least six feet of distance between us at all times. We cannot sing together as a congregation. We cannot offer wine when administering Communion, nor can we share freshly baked bread. We cannot greet each other with a hug or a handshake, and we can only pass the Peace from a distance.
All of those numbers are important, but there are innumerable consequences behind those numbers that we cannot forget. How many people remain isolated because they or others in their homes have underlying health conditions that make them vulnerable? How many hours of work, of school, and of socialization have been sacrificed because of the pandemic? How many people have lost their jobs or a substantial portion of their income because they work somewhere that cannot operate at full capacity? How many people go to work afraid that they will come home and make someone they love sick? How many people are declining or dying without loved ones to hold their hands and look into their eyes because of limited visitation protocols?
How many of our parishioners will need to stay home instead of coming to church on Sunday? How many are waiting for a vaccine but are struggling to navigate the complicated system of phone calls and emails and websites necessary to reserve a spot in line? At St. Paul’s, we have had twenty-one funerals and nine weddings since the beginning of 2020. Several more have been postponed indefinitely. How many of us are still waiting for the pastoral embrace of our friends and family? How many of us still dream of celebrating with those we love? How many of us will carry that grief or that joy in an incomplete way for the rest of our lives because those big moments came and went while we were forced to live apart from one another?
I am profoundly excited that we get to come back together this Sunday. Although we have done our very best over these last twelve months, there is so much about who we are as Christians that cannot be done in isolation. Even in limited ways, the opportunity to be together again in church is a sign of great hope for our congregation. Nevertheless, our return remains imperfect.
There are many within our community who cannot join us. A whole year of our lives, when we would normally turn to the church to support us and comfort us and celebrate with us, is gone. We will continue to offer livestreamed classes and services in order to stay connected with those who cannot come back yet, and we will search for ways to respond to the pastoral needs that have been unattended these last twelve months. As we enter a new chapter of our pandemic response, we must hold in our minds and our hearts those who have struggled and continue to struggle, especially when we cannot yet hold them in our arms.
Yours Faithfully,
Evan