I'm not religious but my sister is.
I talked on the phone with her and church came up in the conversation.
She related to me what she is doing, thought it might be pertinent to some of you.

She's been working closely with her pastor by phone and online and sponsors 3 mini churches at their home each week.
Observing cleanliness and using face masks she meets with families in her home where they perform their religious routines.
Prayers, singing, sermons as she is directed by her pastor.
Different people host similar small gatherings at the behest of their pastor.
She tells me its been really wonderful.

I'm wondering if y'all do anything similar?
How are you fairing religiously?

Again, I am not religious but I do respect that others are.
This thread is not for me, its for them.
Their pastor, she tells me, also presents an online live sermon from the church on Sundays.

Perhaps sharing what you do could help others figure out a way to do something too.
May keep you sane and give you the spiritual lift that might be waning.

LOL, she told me even though I don't go for all that she has me on a protection prayer list. (whatever that means)

Anyway, this thread's for you!

All I can say, is I'm glad that Pastor in Tampa's superchurch got arrested for having services.

That's a terrible thing to twist faiths and beliefs of good people and put them in harms way to make extra money... he has more than plenty. he should give a year's salary away for repentance to his followers or the community.... or sell all his limos, and that jet.

I'm i guess you would say "spiritual" in a really wicked sort of way...

also non-religious.


I also respect those that quietly are.

Hi tom

Not sure where your sister is based .. but I personally have concerns with her inviting people into her home for mini services .. wearing a mask unless it is an n95 or respiratory mask gives her or anyone else no protection . Removing a mask if not done correctly increases risk of transmitting pathogens . The only people coming into her home should be just those who live in that house .
She cannot tell by looking at someone if they have been exposed to the virus . It takes just one person infected to transmit to others and this can happen in less than 15 minutes .

I understand the need to worship . I do . But faith will not protect her .
The church should look at online services . I expect in the USA over the next two weeks to see a major change with their lockdown protocols ... churches will not and should not be exempt .. they represent a major risk for community spread .

None of the churches here are open. They have all gone online. Sundays and Wednesday they go live.

Y'know I mentioned that to her.
Her faith has her blinded.
I think that might be the case with many.

This is my reason for posting this thread.
Like I said, I am Not religious but I know others are.
I left the thread open for others to comment.
I fear more people than you might expect think more like my sis than not.
I warned her but she is my older sis so she thinks she knows best.
So sad.

There's the rub, now isn't it? I've been noticing that lots of people from the progressive left are trying to use this opportunity to completely destroy all other religious belief. They claim they have no religion. But in reality it's socialism or what's called "Humanism" or some other thing.

My perspective is slightly different then others. What holds us together is a bond of trust. Of cause this must be destroyed at all costs. It's perfectly fine for the leftists to release murdering rapists into the general population to have them cause haveck. Having people congregate in a responsible way (using protection such as a neckerchief over you nose and mouth) can't be aloud because it will reinforce trust.

You can't give anyone the benefit of a doubt because everyone is stupid and untrustworthy. Being religious is any way shape or form instantly makes you blinded by a cult like mentality and should be scorned.

pshaw, faith and belief are no more 'cult like' or worthy of scorn than registering as one political party or another, it is only sharing values with a large group of people.


I think they said groups of ten or less, large families certainly are doing it, so a small group in a sanitized and clean space is not a terrible idea.

I do however spend alot of time with my mother, who is in the highest risk category as far as age goes, so to avoid bringing anything to her, I am careful. I use online services, if I use them at all. The church is the people, not the building. I still maintain my relationship with God through prayer and just talking to Him throughout the day.

I visit my parents almost every day. I go shopping with my mom too. They're going to be 82 this year and probably won't survive if they catch this virus. My dad just had a stroke in December and a heart attack the year before. Mom had kemo 4 years ago which wrecked her immune system. So I empathize with you.

You can't allow yourself to lose faith because Hope comes from it.

Those churches that choose to continue (or *encourage) in-person services because God will protect them/ they have faith need to heed Jesus's teachings:


Luke 4:12

And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Matthew 4:7

Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Yes, only a fool believes praying can stop a bullet. You need to wear body armor or not be in the path of it.

This examines a reality of life ingrained in people.
People are creatures of habit.
I was religious most of my life.
I know the sense of loss felt when I was prevented from going to church.
It wasn't a religious loss it was a loss of community.

When we attend church regularly we for personal bonds with the other people in the church. We care about their loved ones too. We ask of their parents, even watch as their children grow. They become part of our lives just as we become part of theirs.

Shelter-in-place cuts those informal ties with people we care about. We lose touch, start to worry about them and many times these informal acquaintances get lost to us. I remember, I didn't have phone numbers for everyone I knew in my church but I still missed them if they didn't show up.

I think its this need my sister and her pastor are trying to preserve.
The need to experience one another. Erm, to share their spirituality with each other. A quality which is not attainable over a TCP/IP connection or a television signal.

I believe my sister is Christian Missionary still. They send out groups all over the world to share their religion and help people in communities.
I was Lax Pentecostal and Southern Baptist both of which are very social and dynamic.

The 'church' was more than a building, it was the people who came to that building.
So, during shelter-in-place and restrictive isolationist periods there is a driving need to be near others who share the same beliefs.

Like I said, I am not religious but I do understand these simple personal needs. If groups of up to 10 people can gather on a beach, why can't they gather at someone's home.
I did ask my sis if she was being careful and she assured me yes.

I was just wondering how others handle this.
In part because I am curious and in part because if someone does something like what she does that is safer, I can call her and offer her suggestions to keep my sister and brother-in-law safe.

The members of our church have dispersed into solitude. The leaders still produce music, sermons, and guided worship, broadcasted weekly online, as well as a newsletter. Certain ministries in the church are doing work out of harm’s way to help those economically affected by the virus.

People are still reading the Bible alone. Spiritual experience is from great things in nature built by God himself. The Holy Spirit is also present right here on Mingle.

In New Zealand you would not be able to gather at home, like your sister does. We have to isolate in our homes and only with the people in your home.
We did have a infamous religious leader declare he was going to continue to have meetings and daily prayer meetings, stating that Psalm 91 would protect him and his thousands of followers.
He then said nothing more. I presume the police spoke to him. I think his thinking that God will protect him and his followers is dangerous.
In the times of the black plague Christian's reached out to help the suffering and died alongside them of the same illness. Martin Luther at the time told Christians to not have blind Faith. Take medicines, protect yourself and others, be sensible.
We are learning masks are not enough. Covid 19 is also spread through touching surfaces and us then touching our faces etc. It can also be on our clothes.
The most sensible thing to do is close the church, move it online.

“I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance inflict and pollute others and so cause their death as a result of my negligence. If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me and I have done what he has expected of me and so I am not responsible for either my own death or the death of others. If my neighbor needs me however I shall not avoid place or person but will go freely as stated above. See this is such a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash nor foolhardy and does not tempt God.”

Martin Luther.

You could tell your sister this quote from one of the most admired Reformers of the Church?

Meeting in peoples houses is actually a wonderful way to worship. Trinity Presbyterian Church (trinitynorfolk.com) in Norfolk has been doing that up until the pandemic struck.

With the dispersion there is inevitably more integration into the community at large. This still opens up more opportunities to serve the community at large.

We are all still connected.

A way to be informed is to take the grain of truth from each source, per the Principle of Charity.

I love God, for certain. I can also see that the Bible, being several books over a long period of time, from several authors, can sometimes be far from simple. Although the Bible does tell us not to 'tempt' God, it also swears off not having faith. Who would think it wise to step off a boat and walk on the water, yet Jesus himself implied that faith would have allowed it.


I can understand people of faith doing things that seem irresponsible and even impossible in the physical, that is kind of the strongest faith one can have actually. I am not there. I play it safe. I admire people whose faith is strong enough to believe and trust God that deeply though.

I love God, for certain. I can also see that the Bible, being several books over a long period of time, from several authors, can sometimes be far from simple. Although the Bible does tell us not to 'tempt' God, it also swears off not having faith. Who would think it wise to step off a boat and walk on the water, yet Jesus himself implied that faith would have allowed it.


I can understand people of faith doing things that seem irresponsible and even impossible in the physical, that is kind of the strongest faith one can have actually. I am not there. I play it safe. I admire people whose faith is strong enough to believe and trust God that deeply though.

I haven't talked to sis (maybe tonight?).

People are social.
People prefer people around them.
Shelter-in-place assaults people's social habits.

Its one thing to limit gatherings in bars, clubs, beaches, streets etc...
Its entirely a different animal for devoutly religious people to isolate themselves.
History gives us plenty of examples.

In countries where religion is not a freedom, people will gather secretly because they need to. Religion is a social mechanism. Even with threat of instant death by gunfire, people gather for their religion.

What makes this any different?
The 'need' outweighs the 'logic'.

While assumption is usually the mother of all screw-ups it is pretty safe to assume some people are still gathering secretly. They are going to continue to gather secretly as long as the isolation order is in effect.
It is so likely, ignoring it or dissuading it is ineffective.

The rational thing to do is to acknowledge it happens and offer ways for others to do what they need to do, safely.

Much of the religious connections with others is in emotional sharing. We tend to read a lot of emotion in other people's faces, faces which are hidden from view by face masks. It is very likely, face masks will be removed while groups gather so empathy can freely flow.

Likewise, religion practices are often taught to children. It is very important to include children in religious gatherings as an example of 'proper' behavior. Children are touchy feely. Children are not self-conscious of how they touch their faces or cough or sneeze.

My sister knows and works with many Amish in NWPA. I wonder how the Amish are handling COVID 19 and shelter-in-place? I do know my brother-in-law, who drives the Amish places is still driving them, daily. I'll try to remember to ask her next time we talk.

In these times of world communication and ready information availability religions are tested, faiths are tested by reason. Religion stresses faith even stronger during normal times. Public ability to use reason has an affect on church attendance and personal faith. Religion's response is to stress faith in their God.

It is not so far-fetched to believe devoutly religious people, who may ignore shelter-in-place to have the community social contacts for ceremonial strength, would abandon faith their God will protect them in this crisis.
Having faith in the religion is a cornerstone of its doctrines.
Faith often asks you to abandon logic and reason.

Y'all say there are online services but many of the elderly, who depend on those services, who are most likely to die from exposure, are not online. If televangelism worked, more people would have already been doing it.
Its NOT the same.
People NEED the same.
The older you are the less likely you are to accept changes in lifestyles.

You may or may not be meeting secretly to practice your faith with others.
You may or may not know someone who is doing it.
I assure you, there are people doing it.

Whether you are doing it or not, why not embrace the nature of the beast and work together to help those who must, do so safely as possible?

Outside,
in a remote area,
lined up perpendicular to the wind.

Zoom. Zoom. Zoom.....They are not in Communist countries, so obey the authorities. It is flagrant disobedience.