A View from Above and Below

National Council of Churches

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered nearly every aspect of life in the US and around the world. Every institution is affected, and the church is no exception. Colleges have sent students home, cleared out the classrooms, and are adapting to an online-only world. Churches have, for the most part, closed their doors on Sunday mornings and are struggling with how to maintain the kind of community life that congregants depend on. We are now in Holy Week, in what most of us are experiencing as week 4 of social distancing, and we are being told that things are about to get much worse.

Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer is the General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ. He’s also the chair of the governing board of the National Council of Churches, and as such, is well-positioned to give us a macro-view of the way things are unfolding. John also has a faith with boundless energy and hope, and I know you’ll hear that in his voice today. It’s a little of what we all need during these difficult times.