Is your church prepared for a flu epidemic?

9admin • 27th Apr 2009 • Posts • disaster relielf, epidemic, flu, Swine flu

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As news of the swine flu outbreak in Mexico City surfaced late last week, I naturally began to consider steps I would take to protect my family. My first inclination, isolate, keep them in the house to reduce contact with others. As a father, it’s natural for me to react this way. As a Christian, I’m charged to reach out and help others. So I’m left in a quandary. Isolate and keep my family safe, or seek ways to help those in need?

This morning’s news shared how the people of Mexico City have been advised to stay home and not gather in groups. A city of 4 million is now very quiet. Traffic has been significantly reduced and people are isolating from the outside world. Church was cancelled and businesses shut their doors. 

In 2008, I consulted with a congregation as they developed their first disaster response plan. Specifically, they asked that I work with them to coordinate their communications plan. Before coming on board, they had brainstormed all the likely scenarios: tornado, fire and flood. Never once was flu epidemic discussed. It’s not something we see on television or in our daily lives, so it can’t happen to us, right?
When I heard that Catholic congregations in Mexico City were encouraged to cancel services, it opened a flood-gate of questions. Mainly, how can a church be in ministry when the most effective means to reduce spread of the flu virus and keep the community safe is to not congregate? So many churches rely heavily on the model of congregating in a “place of worship”. I’m not defying this model, but am challenging our notion of congregation.

Imagine weeks of quarantine, where you and members of your church are potentially unable to meet on Sunday morning or during the week. Lots of questions arise. How to deliver a message and stay in contact? How to support those who are dealing with death and sickness? How do you coordinate relief efforts? The questions can be endless.

I am not an alarmist, and that is certainly not my goal with this blog post. And I am not going to give you the traditional top 25 list of things to do in case of emergency. Search Google, you’ll find them aplenty. Plus, it’s my experience that every congregation has their own set of unique needs. I’m sharing this message in hopes that church leaders wake up and understand that communications is no longer an afterthought. Tools of the Internet and messaging may be your only means by which to effectively reach those in need during times of disaster like this.

Is your congregation prepared to communicate with one another and gather online during times of disaster? Does your church disaster plan include steps for flu epidemic preparedness? There’s no harm in preparing for what could be an unlikely circumstance.

Finally, I hope you’ll join me by including those who are dealing with the affects of the swine flu in your prayers. Blessings.