The risk associated with COVID-19 has disrupted communities around the nation and around the world. Many congregations and other ministry settings are closing their doors and re-envisioning how community can be fostered in such a time as this. Pastors, church members, chaplains, and others in congregational leadership have questions about how to create sanctuary, while at the same time those to whom we minister feel isolated and anxious. When we find we need each other the most, it can be difficult to remind ourselves that indeed - to borrow a phrase from our UCC partners - God is still speaking. Easter is coming.

In response to the challenges of ministering to faith communities in this current climate, Andover Newton Seminary at Yale Divinity School is curating and sharing a variety of resources accessible online. These resources include ideas for worship, children’s messages, and prayers, as well as general resources from our denominational partners and affiliates. Some are offered by our staff, others by alumni/ae, and still others from regional and national bodies.

If you have resources you would like to share, please email Ned Allyn Parker. This page will be updated every 48 hours with new resources. (Last updated on April 2, 2020 at 8:30 am)

Resources can be found under the following headings:

• Reflections from Andover Newton Founding Dean Sarah Birmingham Drummond - New addition on April 2, 2020
• Reflections from Alumni/ae and Friends - New addition on April 2, 2020
• Worship Resources
• Talking to children about the coronavirus
• Prayers, litanies, poems, and music 
• Addressing anxiety and fear
• Working with vulnerable and at-risk populations
• Other helpful thoughts and suggestions
• Denominational Resources
  • American Baptist Churches
  • United Church of Christ
  • Unitarian Universalist Association
  • Alliance of Baptists
  • Bautistas por la Paz - BPFNA - (added 3/30/20)

Congregational Resources:

Reflections from Andover Newton Founding Dean Sarah Birmingham Drummond

• Sarah Drummond offers a pastoral word to Andover Newton students and the community in this Facebook video. (added on 4/2/20)
• “… and I Feel Fine.“ 
• “Living like a learner”
• “An open letter”
• Sarah Drummond was recently quoted in this piece from the CT Examiner
• Sarah Drummond quoted in this piece from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• Sarah Drummond offered the welcome and blessing during Marquand Chapel’s online worship service on April 1, 2020.

Reflections from Alumni/ae and Friends

• “Our national homework assignment—Beginning to envision a just and inclusive society” is a piece written by YDS alumnus and Andover Newton trustee Jeffrey Haggray (added on 4/2/20)
• “Lessons amid a disaster: Ministry in response to crisis” is a podcast in which Curtis Ramsey-Lucas (MDiv ‘95) interviews Matt Crebbin (Mdiv ‘94) (added on 4/2/20)
• “For blood drive, food pantry, Maine church members don masks, gloves” is a piece written about 2nd Congregational Church in Newcastle, ME, pastored by Char Corbett (MDiv ‘10) (added on 4/1/20)
• “Ministry in the midst of a COVID-19 outbreak” by Mindi Welton-Mitchell (MDiv ’02)
• “Planning for ministry during COVID-19” by Mindi Welton-Mitchell (MDiv ’02)
• In this podcast Curtis Ramsey-Lucas (MDiv ‘95) interviews Mindi Welton-Mitchell about “ministry in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak” on the Christian Citizen podcast series 
• “Church and the coronavirus: practicing compassion and care even as we take precautions” by Andover Newton Fellow, Cody Sanders
• “Lessons From Ministry in the Midst of Disaster” is an open letter written to fellow clergy by Matthew Crebbin (MDiv ‘94), who ministered in Newton, CT, during the horrific school shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School 
• “7 Things” by Stephanie Rutt (DMin ‘17) is a reflection about speaking up and living in the moment 
• Ned Allyn Parker (MDiv ‘10) joins current Andover Newton affiliated students to reflect on Mark’s Jesus Calming the Storm
• “A time to fear and a time to trust” is a piece written by Doris Garcia Rivera (MA ‘88) 

Worship Resources

• “Creating live streamed worship in three days” from Hacking Christianity
• “Preparing for the coronavirus in your congregation” from the Unitarian Universalist Association (There is more from the UUA below under denominational partners)
• “Preach awareness, not panic” from the United Church of Christ and featuring Andover Newton trustee and YDS alumna Rev. Kaji Douša
• “Streaming Sunday Services - Technical Tips” is a concrete overview of online options and tools from the UUA 

Children’s Messages: Talking to children about the coronavirus

• “Just for kids: A comic exploring the new coronavirus” from National Public Radio
• “Talking to kids about the coronavirus” from the Child Mind Institute
• “How to talk to your kids about coronavirus” is a fantastic resource with concrete information from the Girls Scouts of America
• “Helpful coronavirus resources for parents and kids” is a resource from Sparkle Stories for the whole family to talk about the coronavirus
• “Thirty ‘Virtual’ Field Trips” - This is simply a great resource to pass the time with children while practicing social distancing

Prayers, litanies, poems, and music

• “A prayer during the coronavirus pandemic” in The Christian Citizen
• “A faithful response, with worship, to the coronavirus” - a Google doc from the United Church of Christ
• “Pandemic” - a poem by Unitarian Universalist pastor and author Lynn Ungar

Addressing anxiety and fears

• “10 guidelines for pastoral care during the coronavirus outbreak” in The Christian Century
• “Feeling anxious about COVID-19?” from Yale Medicine

Working with Vulnerable and At-Risk Populations

• “What Bay Area Counties Are Doing for Homeless Residents” from NPR and PBS affiliate KQED 
• “How you can help the homeless during the coronavirus pandemic” from Newsweek 
• “Online Intergroup Resources” from Alcoholics Anonymous with online meeting directories 
• “Update on the Coronavirus” from Alcoholics Anonymous 
• “Amid coronavirus, recovery community urges: Even if you skip 12-step meetings, stay connected” featured in the LA TImes 

Other helpful thoughts and suggestions

• “Guidance for cleaning and disinfection for COVID-19 for houses of worship” from the New York Department of Health
• CDC Resources for Community and faith-based leaders
• “Concise Corona Guide for Churches” is a downloadable pdf from Christianity Today with great resources and ideas

Denominational Resources

American Baptist Churches USA

• “An update on COVID-19” from ABCUSA
• “Guidance, litany, and prayer for congregational response to COVID-19” from American Baptist Home Mission Societies

United Church of Christ

• “Coronavirus and the church” – A great clearinghouse of information from the UCC
• “UCC churches offer pastoral touches, prophetic voices” is a fantastic piece about moving worship online and features alums, trustees and friends of Andover Newton

Unitarian Universalist Association

• “Updated Recommendations for congregation’s response to COVID-19”
• “Updates on the UUA General Assembly” from the UUA GA main landing page

Alliance of Baptists

• “Responding to COVID-19: worshipping online, worship resources, and getting connected“ 

Bautistas por la Paz - Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America

• “COVID-19 Faith Resources” is a page that includes reflections, hymns and prayers (added 3/30/20)