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Local clergy keep the faith
Many Christians are relying on their faith during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Greg Dowler has been the preacher at the First United Methodist Church of Kennett since 2017. He maintains that faith is essential during the current coronavirus pandemic.
Dowler shared that he didn’t participate in the bulk-buying hysteria. Instead of rushing to the store to buy every roll of toilet paper in sight, he took a more holistic approach to the situation.
“My reaction was to sit down, read some scripture, pray, and look to see what I could do to help others. When I saw the pictures of people hoarding toilet paper and other items, I felt sorry for them. It seemed to be a gesture of self-reliance and fear,” Dowler said. “ I have never felt fear during this time at all. That is because I look to God for my strength, comfort, and understanding.”
The Bible is full of scripture that is especially applicable during the coronavirus pandemic. Dowler singled out the 11th chapter of the Gospel of John. In the scripture, a man named Lazarus had been dead for four days. Upon request from Lazarus’s sister, Jesus resurrected Lazarus from the dead. Jesus then told Lazarus that his faith is what made him well.
“In short, the scripture points out that we cannot control the circumstances around us, but we do have a God that will give us the strength to be ready to deal with those circumstances, good or bad,” Dowler said.
A silver lining of social distancing is the opportunity to focus on religion and faith. “This is a wonderful time to experience God and develop the relationship necessary to give you confidence in times like this,” Dowler said.
Technology can be used to aid religious education at home. Many websites offer translations, lessons, and commentaries on the Bible. “You can even Google ‘scripture about pandemics’ and get a plethora of studies and commentaries about our current situation,” Dowler said.
“I know many of the pastors in Kennett, and they will all give good spiritual advice about dealing with current situations. There is not a set answer for this because we all come from a different place in our understanding. In the meantime, we will pray, read scripture, ‘meet’ online, and be thankful for all the goodness God gives us,” Dowler said.
Dowler concluded with Hebrews 11:1, which says, ”Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Dowler shared that the First United Methodist Church of Kennett is setting up online studies that can be viewed or joined by contacting the church office at (573) 888-5391 or emailing kennett1stumc@gmail.com.