Vermont spiritual communities are plugging into cellphones and home computers as they seek alternatives to services cancelled by the threat of coronavirus.
The statewide Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington — Vermont’s largest religious denomination with 118,000 members in 72 parishes — is one of many congregations that has suspended events until further notice because of Gov. Phil Scott’s ban on gatherings of people.
“While this is a difficult time for the faithful,” Vermont Catholic Bishop Christopher Coyne said in a statement, “we must all do our part to ensure the health and wellbeing of the larger community.”
Vermont’s Catholic Church is directing parishioners to a special page on its website, which features local information and a daily broadcast Mass.
The Vermont Conference of the United Church of Christ, the second largest denomination with 14,000 members in 135 congregations, is allowing individual churches to decide how to proceed, although most are moving to online services.
“In this time of crisis and uncertainty what is the loving thing to do?” conference minister the Rev. Lynn Bujnak has written on a special webpage. “I am becoming increasingly convinced that NOT physically worshipping together for a couple of weeks might slow the transmission of the virus and protect the most vulnerable people who make up much of our church family.”
The Vermont district of the United Methodist Church, the third largest denomination with 8,200 members in 115 congregations, is listing online services on its website.
“People used some of that technology prior to the virus, but certainly they are taking advantage of it now,” Methodist communications director Beth DiCocco says. “It’s another way to reach out.”
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The Episcopal Church in Vermont, the fourth largest denomination with 5,700 members in 47 congregations, is offering daily online prayer led by Bishop Shannon MacVean-Brown at 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
“It’s quite an adjustment,” Shannon says. “I didn’t think this is what I’d be doing every morning and evening, but seeing everyone and having them there has lifted me. Through this, prayer is so important.”
American Baptist Churches of Vermont, the fifth largest denomination with about 6,000 members in some 75 churches, is using its Facebook page to share local and state information as well as articles such as Christianity Today’s “What Now When We Can’t Meet? Putting the Mission into Missional.”
“Instead of saying to your people that we have to do this because of the government recommendation,” the article advises, “we can say we get to do something special in our community to show our care for those at greatest risk and to demonstrate that the church is far more than a gathering on the weekend.”
As for other faiths, the conduit organization Jewish Communities of Vermont, representing a Green Mountain State population estimated as high as 25,000, is posting online programs and information on its Facebook page.
The Islamic Society of Vermont, which just moved to a new mosque in South Burlington, is limiting attendance to no more than 10 congregants at a time and asking everyone else to pray at home, according to its Facebook page.
Most Buddhist sanghas are taking similar precautions. The Brattleboro-based Vermont Insight Meditation Center, for example, is meeting daily online.
“Welcome to the new normal,” its meditation leader told peers illuminated by individual laptops.
Spiritual leaders who’ve seen attendance wane in recent years are pleasantly surprised that the video events are drawing both longtimers as well as newcomers curious or looking for connection.
Says Vermont’s Episcopal bishop: “We’re finding creative ways to still be present to people.”
And the United Church of Christ’s conference minister: “In the midst of this, we are learning some things that will help in the long run.”
2020-03-22 14:05:21Z
https://vtdigger.org/2020/03/22/vermont-faith-communities-stay-connected-with-technology-/
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