For such a time as this

17 Jul, 2020 - 00:07 0 Views
For such a time as this During services, strict adherence to World Health Organisation prescribed health measures is encouraged

The ManicaPost

Post Reporters

“If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me,” wrote Dr Martin Luther King to a pastor friend during the black plague era.

“I have done what he expected of me and so I am not responsible for either my own death or the death of others. If my neighbour needs me, however, I shall not avoid place or person, but will go freely,” he said.

When the World Health Organisation declared Covid-19 a pandemic, Dr Luther King’s words went viral on social media.

In the said letter, Dr Luther King insisted that preachers and pastors should remain at their posts no matter the circumstances. He said as good shepherds, pastors should be prepared to lay down their lives for their sheep.

Therefore ministering to the masses should not cease even during the Covid-19 era. However, the ways of going about it have drastically changed.

Lockdowns across the world have seen many churches migrating online.

Yet while the Facebook, Youtube, Twitter and WhatsApp platforms are being used to minister to congregants, many still yearn for the return of the good old days of fellowship  in the church.

In Zimbabwe, churches were recently given the green light to conduct physical services with a maximum of 50 people in attendance.

During those services, strict adherence to World Health Organisation prescribed health measures is encouraged.

As such, bishops, priests, pastors and church boards, among other leaders, have had to pause, plan and prepare to serve the church during this era.

A survey conducted by The Manica Post during the past few weeks revealed that most churches have resumed services under strict Covid-19 guidelines.

St Paul’s Roman Catholic Church in Dangamvura, Mutare, is now conducting six masses spread from Saturday to Sunday to cater for its numerous congregants.

The parish priest, Father Simbarashe Rukanda, said before churches were given the green light to resume services, his church had been delivering masses on digital platforms.

“We are now conducting six masses during weekends. However, we are still using social media to reach out to more people.

“During the masses, congregants come according to their sections. We are strict on the numbers and we are not exceeding the recommended 50 people per gathering. A register is marked for the sake of our records just in case we might need to conduct for contact tracing,” he said.

The church building is disinfected after every service.

Sanitisers and liquid soaps are also availed at every entrance, while all congregants have their face masks on during the mass.

Said Father Rukanda: “We are not taking any chances because Covid-19 is real. We are strictly abiding by the guidelines availed by the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference and Zimbabwe Council of Churches on congregants’ safety.”

At St John’s United Methodist Church in Vengere, Rusape, three one-hour services are being conducted every Sunday, with a maximum of 50 people in attendance.

At the main entrance, temperature checking and hand sanitisation is conducted.

Just like at St Paul’s Roman Catholic Church, wearing a face masks or shields is a must, while only two people sit on each bench to ensure physical distancing.

The church is not allowing young children to attend church as they believe that it will be difficult for them to put on a mask for an hour and maintain physical distancing.

At Apostolic Faith Mission’s River of Life Assembly in Vengere, temperature checking and hand sanitisation is also a must.

At the entrance, congregants’ home addresses and phone numbers are recorded just in case the need for contact tracing might arise.

Children are also not allowed to attend church.

The church is allowing 50 people inside the church building, where there are 50 chairs. Fifty more people follow proceedings seated outside.

Two services are conducted on Sundays.

At The Salvation Army Dangamvura Corps in Mutare, congregants are adhering to Covid-19 health regulations, including temperature checks, hand sanitisation and physical distancing.

Congregants sit 1,5 metres apart, with three people occupying a bench that usually accommodates six people.

Almost all congregants are now paying their Sunday offerings using mobile money platforms to discourage the handling of cash.

“We are happy that congregants are playing ball and are fervently following Covid-19 precautionary measures. We have not encountered any problems,” said outgoing Dangamvura Corps leader, Major Masimba Chidzomba.

On the other hand, members of the Lighthouse Church are conducting their Sunday services from congregants’ houses in groups of 10.

One member of the church, Mr William Mapondera said: “We are conducting home churches at different houses for everyone’s safety.”

While most Seventh Day Adventist churches are now open for services, with 50 people in each service, some SDA sections are still attending virtual church services and are yet to resume physical ones.

Members of the Brook of Life SDA Church in Dangamvura are still receiving the word via the radio, television and online platforms.

In Chipinge, some churches no longer have places of worship after their structures were razed down by the Chipinge Town Council as part of its clean-up exercise during the ongoing lockdown.

This has resulted in mushrooming of churches in residential areas or under trees.

“Our church building was demolished by the town council as it was deemed an illegal structure. We are now worshipping from home, but we are worried because the number of worshippers is swelling every week. No one is monitoring this and it is business as usual,” said one church member who preferred anonymity.

ZAOGA FIF is encouraging its followers to worship from home.

Chipinge Pastors’ Fraternity chairperson, Reverend Maxwell Chizumba said all church leaders are encouraged to de-congest their places of worship in line with Government directives.

“As pastors, we agreed to adhere to all safety measures and precautions. We are encouraging our followers to conduct services at home to avoid congestion. For those conducting physical services, we are encouraging them to continuously fumigate their church buildings,” he said.

However, the situation is different with most white garment apostolic churches who gather at Patel Industrial Area and at St Joseph’s in Rusape.

Most gatherings have more than 50 congregants.

In addition, most of the congregants put on their masks on their way to church, but remove them once at the shrines.

There is no hand sanitisation while physical distancing is not being observed, especially with regards to laying of hands on congregants’ heads.

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