(RNS) — Some states are beginning to lift COVID-19 restrictions, like releasing residents from stay-at-home orders, reopening retail and hospitality businesses with limited capacities, and even allowing elective surgeries.
Research has shown that many people are struggling with feelings of isolation and loneliness. People are longing to get back to life as “normal” after weeks of physically distancing and staying at home.
At the Humanitarian Disaster Institute, we’ve spent 15 years studying and ministering in mass disasters around the globe, including public health crises like the Ebola outbreak. Our research shows that in most situations, churches can help their congregations and communities best by getting back to what they were doing before the calamity, especially in-person worship gatherings.
Read the rest of this article on Word & Way here: https://wordandway.org/2020/05/05/just-because-the-economy-is-reopening-doesnt-mean-churches-should/