Where were you on March 15, 2020?

That is a date that will be forever remembered. I grew up hearing stories of “Where were you on the day JFK was assassinated?” and now I have a story to share about where I was when President Trump announced to the nation that schools and public principalities would be closing to slow down the spread of the Covid-19 virus. My husband and I were in St. Louis with two of our youth participating in the LCMS annual YouthLead training. Saturday afternoon the facilitators of the event gathered the adults to explain what was going on nationally and internationally. Of course, as church workers we had no idea what the next few years had in store for us.

The Fallout

It has been five years since that day, sometimes it feels like yesterday. We were scrambling to figure out how to provide Word and Sacrament to our members within the confines of the local health department guidelines. Some of us were trying to finish the last weeks of Confirmation through Zoom or a variety of other creative means. Lutheran schoolteachers were attempting to educate their students through packets of worksheets and Zoom check-ins. Pastors were trying to console the loved ones of those ill when they were unable to be with them in the hospital. Funerals were a challenge as comfort is difficult to convey through livestreamed services. And of course there are those with 2 wedding dates… the Covid date that was a small gathering and the post-Covid marriage celebration. Our community and fellowship of the family of God was all topsy-turvy.

Slow Down!

So, here we sit five years later — exhausted. While the world slowed down and isolated in their homes to work and educate, church workers were increasing their pace and workload attempting to educate, minister, and care for the people of the church. We were on creativity overdrive. We did not experience the slow down and it seems we are just beginning to feel like we can breath again. It is at this point we need to be taking care of ourselves and allowing for some slowing down. Here are a couple things to consider to slow down:

• All that was implemented during Covid does not need to be continued. Here is your permission to move that Zoom Bible Study back to in-person or discontinue it all together.
• Take a vacation — a real getaway vacation. We all did Staycations during the shut down. Go somewhere you will enjoy… the beach or the mountains, wherever you can slow down.
• Develop a healthy routine of:
  • Get regular rest. Take your Sabbath
  • Study God’s Word outside of prep for leading a Bible study.
  • Worship with joy in fellowship with other believers.
  • Eat healthy.
  • Exercise (even a little movement is better than none).
• Date your spouse/spend time with loved ones.
• Use your 8 free counseling sessions through Concordia Health Plans (Evernorth EAP).

Struck Down, But Not Destroyed

Hopefully we will not experience another year like 2020, but if we do we know that God is in control.

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  –2 Corinthians 4:8-9

If you as a church worker (or that special church worker in your life) are in need of Christ-centered mental health or marriage counseling, contact us today.

• Angela Kollbaum, LIMHP, CPC, DCE
• Call: 402-644-8048
• Email: AKollbaum@LutheranFamilyService.org
• Web Form: http://lutheranfamilyservice.org/contact/

Lutheran Family Service walks with those experiencing difficult times through mental health counseling, marriage counseling, crisis pregnancy counseling, and adoption services.