Dear Church,
I am so grateful for the overwhelmingly gracious and resourceful ways in which UK churches, including my own, have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.
All of our lives are restricted in ways that we couldn’t have imagined a year ago. Many of us are experiencing loss. We have watched our friends lose loved ones, livelihoods, and hope.
Nevertheless, our Christian communities still found new ways to help each other. There has been an incredible outpouring of generosity in providing meals and other support to those who need it most. Thank you for taking scientific advice seriously, whilst not letting fear silence your ministry.
Dr Francis Collins, who is heading up medical research on COVID in the US, recently expressed his faith in God to help us through the pandemic. He voiced the grief that so many are experiencing, and its impact on health workers. He also offered his conviction that he is in exactly the right place - serving God with his science. He is holding on tight to the words of Paul in 2:
Timothy 1:7, ‘for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.’
As I very briefly unpack this passage, I want to emphasise the hopeful message that Christians in the sciences can bring to the church right now. They are demonstrating their love for people by working to the best of their God-given ability, using what resources they have to improve care for the sick and protect the vulnerable.
I will also share some ways to pray, and some resources that will help your church respond to the latest knowledge about this disease from a Christian perspective. Science will not solve all our problems, but with God’s wisdom we can use scientific tools to serve him during the current crisis.