Prepare Your Church
or Synagogue for a Bird Flu Pandemic
While government is doing their job, Churches and Synagogues
can also do their part in preparing for disasters. Whether
it is bird flu, flooding, or any other disaster, do the elders
of your community have a plan for their members and for the
community?
Many younger people don't know that many church halls were
used as long term recovery wards during the wars of the last
century. Ask some the elderly people and they will tell you
about this history. The halls were needed because hospitals
are not designed for war time, just as they are not designed
for major disasters. It is just too expensive for governments
to build hospitals for big disasters. Governments will certainly
call upon religious communities during times of crisis. Let's
be ready for the call to serve the suffering, in the name
of our God.
For preparing familiess for bird flu see Prepare
Your Family for a Bird Flu Pandemic.
What can your faith community do for members?
1. Do you know who your members and adherents are?
It might seem like an obvious question, but it has been my
experience as a pastor, that the elderly often move and the
church is not informed where they are. Sometimes a couple
of faithful seniors visit the elderly shut in but the church
does not have their addresses anymore. Make sure there is
a central list of members for two reasons; First, to ensure
that they are OK. Second, to call upon younger people to serve
during the time of crisis.
As for those folks who are not members of the community but
are connected somehow to it, make sure you've got an up to
date list of these people too.
2. During a pandemic governments will ban all public gatherings,
including worship. Do families know how to do a daily or weekly
devotional? Gather some resources. Does watching TV worship
count as worship? I won't give my opinion other than saying,
"It's better than nothing.".
What can your faith community do for others?
1. Do you have a space that can function as a medical ward?
Most communities have a hall, however trained medical staff
will be stretched to the limit during a big pandemic. Volunteers
from the church will be needed to serve basic nursing needs.
Be kind to medical stadd; don't accept incompetant people
as volunteers.
Christians and Jews know that God is more concerned with
human suffering than reverence for worship spaces. It is permissable
to use the worship hall as a medical ward. If public gatherings
are banned, the space is not being used anyway, so use it.
Those who choose religion over love for the suffering are
unfaithful to the God that we worship.
Do you have a storage room for cots and such? Most communities
have someone in the medical field, so ask them what they think
would be needed for such a ward. Get them to gather together
a team to be the planning leaders in the event of a big pandemic.
Spend some money to be prepared. Often there is old medical
equipment that can be aquired for next to nothing, or even
for free if you tell the hospital what it will be used for.
2. Members who get the bird flu and survive can be encouraged
to volunteer.
If you've survived the flu, you can't get it again. Volunteer
for something. If your job is essential do it; if not consider
quitting and serving somewhere critical as a volunteer.
3. Pray, pray, pray.
We don't know why these disasters happen. When Job challenged
God for an answer to suffering, God asked Job whether Job
created the universe. No answer is given by God and perhaps
we would not understand the answer if it was given to us.
Perhaps it is akin to a ballet dancer trying to explain herself
to an oyster. The good news, however, is that we know death
is not the end and that God is faithful to God's promises.
Be not afraid.
Send us your Comments, Suggestions,
Additional Advice on how to prepare for bird flu.
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