‘We are deeply connected’

The Very Rev Dr John Chalmers considers the long-term impact of the Coronavirus Covid-19 on churches.

SELF-ISOLATION and social distancing have become part of everyday life.

They have made us look at one another differently and who knows how long it will take before handshaking and hugging return to everyday life.

For some the experience is a bitter one. It is one thing to be isolated in safety – it is quite another thing to be isolated within an abusive relationship or, if during this extraordinary time, you have wondered where your next meal is coming from or you are contemplating a future of dire economic prospects. As with so many other crises most of us manage to get through, but for the poorest and the most vulnerable the consequences can be catastrophic. Covid-19, directly and indirectly, has brought grief and sadness to so many homes and families. And it has brought with it a timely reminder to those who may be looking for the presence of Christ that he is still to be found in the face of the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the sick and the prisoner (Matt 25: 31-40).

As well, however, as becoming part of our new norm, self-isolation and social distancing continue to be such counterintuitive concepts for women and men who have evolved to enjoy one another’s company and share one another’s space. Here again there is something for us to learn from our enforced lockdown – that it is when we are deprived of those things which are so basic to our life together that we come to appreciate what really matters. Company, community, the closeness of family and friends, the touch of caring hands; these are some things that money can’t buy and technology can’t fix.

The gnawing hunger that we have to be with friends and family is too deep to be completely fixed by WhatsApp or FaceTime. We may have greatly benefitted from the digital technology which has allowed us to keep in touch and keep abreast of business (and it is to be hoped that we will not return to old ways of burning fuel and travelling miles every time we want to hold a meeting) but we have become acutely aware of our need for face-to-face contact and we have been humbled to recognise the great value of some of the ordinary things that we have taken for granted.

The deeper issue behind this is the realisation that none of us is as selfsufficient as we may have thought. What we have learned is that we are deeply connected and some of us believe that the foundation of that connection goes beyond our simple common humanity. In fact, we trace that connection to the source and final purpose of life itself in God.

It seems to me that this lockdown, although painful for so many, has also accentuated that sense of connection.

It seems to me that this lockdown, although painful for so many, has also accentuated that sense of connection. Whether applauding the staff of the NHS from our doorsteps or our churches making sure that worship and fellowship continue online – we have been brought together as we have faced this adversity. It has also brought out the best in our creativity; for long enough we have bemoaned the ability of our congregations to adapt to changes in lifestyle and culture, but in these few weeks there is evidence that churches have reached far more people than they would ever have done by traditional means. I’m sure that there are some things about this new normal that we will not want to lose when this lockdown is over.

At the time of writing this article Captain (now honorary Colonel) Tom Moore’s extraordinary fundraising efforts for the NHS have just topped £32m. This extraordinary man has been a conduit through which we have been able to express our gratitude and connection to the frontline workers of the NHS; but, the success of his campaign is down to his infectious hope and positivity which have made him easy to connect with. We are in this together. Stay safe. 

This article appears in the June 2020 Issue of Life and Work

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