Denver, Colorado … What a year 2020 has become!   We have all read in the Bible how in the last days there will be famines, pestilence, diseases and strife (See: Luke 21:11)   The world is falling apart.   My question is this:   Are you the glue had holds your community together?   As Seventh-day Adventist Christians we believe we are to be “Serving Communities in Christ’s Name.”

How are you going to serve you community during the COVID-10 pandemic disaster?

Right now, our world, nation, state, and community are in the response phase.  Elected officials alongside with the national, state and county emergency managers have a responsibility to keep the citizens safe, secure and alive.   The next phase of a disaster is the recovery phase.   This is when the government at all levels assist the local community in recovery.   Are you ready to serve?  It is during this time that churches need to think about how to help individuals within their community.

  1. The Community of the inner circle:  Church family members who are elderly, are caretakers, have health issue such as respiratory system or heart.
  2. Phone calls every day or daily to check up on them
  3. Can the church purchase food items, etc.?
  4. Hospital or nursing care facility visits— are not allowing visitors but you can call them.
  5. Prayer
  6. The Community of the larger circle:
  7. Who within this community are the elderly or shut ins, caretakers, those who have health issues, parents with children home from school, restaurants and other such businesses workers?  The members of the church who have not attended lately.   How can you support these groups?
  8. Can church members volunteer to pick up prepaid ordered supplies from stores?
  9. Be watchful of all those around you.
  10. Prayer
  11. The Community of the greater circle: How can you support the community as a whole?
  12. Register with 2-1-1 in your community online or call. (Each State has 2-1-1)
  13. Register with Spark the Change in Colorado website
  14. Organize groups to volunteer:   Call your local food bank/pantry to see what is needed.
  15. Prayer

Each State has a Department of Public Health with website and a Facebook page.   Please check these sites for correct current information for your State.

Colorado: Colorado Department of Public Health: https://covid19.colorado.gov/

Hotline:  877-462-29911

Facebook: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

New Mexico:   New Mexico Department of Public Health: https://nmhealth.org/

Hotline:  855-600-3453

Facebook: New Mexico Department of Health

Wyoming:  Wyoming Department of Public Health  https://health.wyo.gov/

Hotline:  888-996-9104

Facebook: Wyoming Department of Health – PHEP

Please, DO NOT VOLUNTEER if you are over 65 years of age or have a health condition that makes you more susceptible to the COVID-19 vises.

One of my favorite songs is by Matthew West is “Do Something.”   Part of the lyrics are:

If not us, then who
If not me and you
Right now, it’s time for us to do something, yeah
If not now, then when
Will we see an end
To all this pain
Oh, it’s not enough to do nothing
It’s time for us to do something

—Cathy Kissner; photo by iStock Photo