Connection Is Key

In this time of change and uncertainty, the Christian Reformed Church in North America is working hard to support congregations dealing with the range of difficulties and concerns caused by the COVID-19 virus.

Although CRCNA ministries do what they can to serve congregations in normal times, these ministries in recent weeks have stepped up their efforts and have shown “a heartfelt desire to really serve churches when they are facing so many changes and adaptations,” said Scott DeVries, Connections Manager for the denomination.

With various restrictions in place, churches are having to rethink how they serve their members and their surrounding communities, and the denomination is having to do the same, he said.

In his role, DeVries works at ­facilitating connections between the more than twenty ministries and 1,100 churches of the CRCNA. Connection, he said, is vital so that churches and church members “can be guided to the CRCNA ministries and programs that can help them address different issues."  

And, more than ever, connecting with one another and sharing helpful information is important.

For instance, soon after the COVID-19 virus began to affect people and organizations dramatically in March, the CRCNA helped curate and post resources on key topics to help churches and their members deal with the pandemic, said DeVries.

To start, the effort addressed practical needs.

“Our initial response was to gather information that would be helpful to churches — such as what they would need to do to go online for their worship services and how they could engage in online giving,” said DeVries.

But now churches have hard questions about what the new world, once the pandemic eases, is apt to look like for churches and society itself.

“All of this is so different and new, and churches are facing a new way of doing things,” said DeVries. “The sheer economics of what is happening will have a profound impact.”

By connecting with churches through emails, phone calls, and interactions on and through The Network, he added, “this is definitely a time when we can learn how to serve our congregations for the short term and for the longer term.”

DeVries encourages churches to use The Network’s searchable database of resources, which includes information on hundreds of topics and ways in which CRCNA ministries can be of assistance.

But the effort doesn’t stop there.

People who want one-on-one help can contact denominational ministries, use the chat box on that page, or call the CRCNA at 800-272-5125.

“Our call center uses a knowledge-based technology to create a source of answers for people who may not be sure where to go with their questions,” said DeVries.

With this service, you can call or click in and get connected to ministries whose role is to reach out to churches, helping them live out their Christian mission, said DeVries.

In response to the pandemic, CRCNA ministries, said DeVries, are assessing how they can best serve churches, church leaders, and church members in North America and beyond in ways that are creative and meaningful and can provide solid, ongoing assistance.

Pastor Church Resources, for instance, is reaching out to vacant churches to get a sense of how they are coping and whether there are resources — if only someone to talk with — that can help.

Resonate Global Mission is making sure its work around the world continues, even if much of that work for the time being needs to be via the internet. Other ministries are doing the same.

“This is a time when we need to keep one another stronger,” said DeVries.

In the midst of all this, he added, is the role of how our faith can help us address and cope with the crisis posed by the pandemic.

“We can discover where our faith is during a time such as this,” said DeVries. “Is our faith strong enough to carry us through?”

Looking ahead, said DeVries, the CRCNA will continue to discern how ministries can best serve churches. “We want to figure out how we can touch each church — if only to say hello and ask ‘How are you doing?’ We want churches to know we are there for them.”