The focus of many religious communities trying to “do church” has shifted over the weeks and months since the pandemic began. Between March and May churches and other faith communities were working hard to move the worship experience online. Pastors were stretched thin as they fostered intentional community and connection using web-based media. For many, the learning curve was steep. Now,these religious communities have moved into new deliberations about making online gatherings sustainable, while other congregations are considering the effecacy of returning to in-person worship. We at Andover Newton recognize different leaders are looking for a vast array of context-specific information. 

Andover Newton has launched this second resource page that focuses on the long-term impact and implications of social distancing within communtities of faith. On this new page, we share what other communities are doing to discern next steps, to care for sick congregants, to perform rights of passage, and to build sustainable networks of support from a distance.  The original COVID-19 resource page will remain live and it can be found under the “Spiritual Community” tab on this website.

This new page is structured in much the same as the first. The categories found below will provide links to best practices, reflections from Andover Newton alumni/ae, and other resource pages created by our historic denominational partners and affiliates. This page will not be updated as frequently as the first, but emerging insights will continue to be added when we are made aware of them.

As a reminder, the partners on the Sterling Quadrangle - Yale Divinity School, Andover Newton Seminary, Berkeley Divinity School, The Center for Faith and Culture, and the Institute for Sacred Music - have also joined together to create various resources and opportunities for connection on an updates and resources page. 

If you have questions or suggestions for this page, please email Ned Allyn Parker.

Resources can be found under the following headings, which are digitally anchored within the list that follows:

• Reflections from Andover Newton Founding Dean Sarah Drummond
• Reflections by or about Alumni/ae and Friends
• Tools for discernment around resuming in-person worship
• Clergy support, well-being, and self-care
• New resources and reflections about rights of passage during pandemic
• New and updated resources from our denominational partners and affiliates

In certain instances, the topics listed above overlap with each other. For example, an Andover Newton alum may write a piece about clergy self-care, or a denominational partner may offer suggested guidelines for resuming in-person worship. In these instances, we have done our best to share these offerings under the most appropriate category…

Reflections and Guidance from Andover Newton Founding Dean Sarah Drummond

• Dean Sarah B. Drummond was featured in this article, “Embracing the ‘apocalyptic,’ seminaries adapt to ministry, theology in a pandemic”
• “Executive Summary of VisionFest 2020,” which summarizes findings from Andover Newton’s recent visioning session and offers guidance for groups planning online visioning and discernment processes
• Dean Drummond’s weekly blog on Medium also has a wealth of wisdom about leadership during these uncertain times

Reflections by or about Alumni/ae and Friends

• Rev. Nancy Lois (MDiv ‘11) and Third Congregational Church use hybrid/outdoor approach to worship
• “Atlanta church consults its doctors about returning to in-person worship” is a piece about discernment in a church pastored by alum Matt Laney (MDiv ‘04) 
• “What a fake stress test on Facebook says about the state of our democracy” is a piece written by alum Curtis Ramsey Lucas (MDiv ‘95), which looks at misinformation on the internet during this already perilous present moment
• “Northampton Church Sees New Energy - and New Members - Online” is a piece outlining how one church, co-pastored by Andover Newton alum Todd Weir (MDiv ‘90), has seen increased attendance online
• “Series Supports Resilience, Well Being” offers guidance on clergy self-care as outlined by Andover Newton alum Jessica McArdle (MDiv ‘97; DMin ‘14) in a series produced by the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ
• “Making history in an age of pandemic” is a piece authored by alum Priscilla Eppinger (MDiv ‘92) making a plea to churches about recording congregational responses to the pandemic
• These devotionals from the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ offer thoughtful reflections during this pandemic and many of them are written by Andover Newton alumni/ae

Tools for discernment around resuming in-person worship

• “Phasing forward into the fall” by Don Remick (MDiv ‘82) outlines some considerations for churches discerning the most appropriate next steps
• “When churches reopen, don’t sing or shake hands, do make sermons short, says new guide” is an introductory piece to this helpful guide:
  • “Resuming care-filled worship and sacramental life during a pandemic,” which is a pdf guide generated by an ecumenical team
• “Churches Were Eager to Reopen. Now They Are Confronting Coronavirus Cases.” This piece is a cautionary tale offered by the New York Times
• “Are you ready for hybrid online/in-person worship?” This is a piece from Presbyterian Church (USA) that helps pastors and religious leaders consider important questions about re-opening
• “Leading our congregations during a pandemic” is a resource offered by the Unitarian Universalist Associaiton that opens with guidance on re-opening for in-person gatherings
• “The pandemic calls for closed hymnals: Forgoing congregational singing as a spiritual discipline” is a piece from the Christian Century

Clergy support, well-being, and self-care

• A pdf of “Self-soothing practices in times of physical distancing” from the United Church of Christ
• “11 self-care reminders for clergy and other caregivers” is a short and helpful piece from Baptist News Global
• An interview about clergy self-care hosted by Andover Newton alum Gordon Rankin (MDiv ‘91) can be found on YouTube
• “The pastoral challenge of a Brooklyn church and COVID-19” is a thoughtful and comprehensive piece written by Pastor Gary V. Simpson

New resources and reflections about rights of passage during pandemic

• “Months into COVID-19, funeral directors and clergy continue to innovate death care” from Religion News Service (RNS), which can be found in a larger feed from RNS, “Coronavirus: Complete Coverage”
• “A Guide to Planning Online Memorial Services During a Pandemic” is a thoughtful piece that shares multiple resources on the Unitarian Universalist Association website
• Emerge: Blessings & Rituals for Unsheltering is an inexpensive and timely resource from UCC publishing house Pilgrim Press

New and updated resources from our denominational partners and affiliates

• “American Baptist Churches USA Survey Assesses Impact of COVID-19” is a piece from American Baptist Churches USA that outlines the findings of a survey in which 414 churches participated
• “On our way… Zooming” provides some interesting numbers about online communications from UCC’s Vital Signs and Statistics
• “Re-opening your church office” is a helpful piece with sample guidelines to consider from our friends in the Alliance of Baptists
• “Ministry During Pandemic” is a free pdf download from American Baptist publishing house Judson Press