Resources for your congregation for COVID-19 crisis ~ DR. VITUS BLOG

April 6, 2020

COVID-19 resources for congregations

The general ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) are working together to support congregations through the upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stay connected for the most recent news and updates:

Disciples News Service (news and updates for the whole church)

Disciples Together (primarily for pastors)

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Are U.S. churches eligible for assistance through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act recently signed into law?

The financial ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have prepared summaries of key components of the CARES ACT. You can access these documents here.

There are two loan programs included in the CARES Act for which churches may be eligible. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorizes mostly forgivable loans to assist with payroll expenses. The Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) are available to organizations who have suffered economic loss as a result of COVID-19. You can find FAQs about these loans for faith based organizations here.

Disciples Church Extension Fund is offering a service to assist congregations and other Disciples ministries in applying for a PPP loan. The service will help Disciples ministries to gather the required information and complete the application form, at no cost to the congregation. Learn more and request assistance here.

Congregations of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) who are listed in the Yearbook are covered under the denomination’s 501(c)3 non-profit status. Requests for 501(c)3 documentation can be sent to yearbook@disciples.org.

Can the denomination provide any support for congregations who have been financially impacted by COVID-19?

There are a variety of ways congregations can access financial support:

Week of Compassion is offering Household Solidarity Grants for Income Loss to Disciples of Christ congregations on behalf of members and pastors who are experiencing significant financial hardship. Eligible households must have lost wages due to COVID-19 and must not be eligible for state unemployment insurance (USA) or the GSTC (Canada). Additional funds are available for households that do not qualify for federal stimulus benefits. For more information, e-mail Week of Compassion at info@weekofcompassion.org and download this application.

Disciples Church Extension Fund has automatically provided a two-month deferral of loan payments for Disciples churches in April and May 2020. Learn more here.

National Benevolent Association is providing grant funding to eligible Disciples-related health and social service ministries. Funds can be used for providing essential needs during the pandemic, new projects in response to COVID-19, or operational expenses to provide continuity of care. Read more and find out how to apply here.

Many regional ministries are providing some funding for churches in their regions to enhance their technical capabilities. Congregations should contact their regional office for more information.

Is there any financial support for pastors?

The Pension Fund of the Christian Church offers emergency aid for unforeseen medical expenses for pastors through ministerial relief, and offers a disaster relief grant (in partnership with Week of Compassion) for pastors who have been infected with COVID-19 and whose congregations can’t continue to pay them. For more information, contact Matt Rosine at mrosine@pensionfund.org or call 866-495-7322.

In addition, Pension Fund provides financial coaching through Your Money Line and Pension Fund dues can be deferred for up to 6 months without members becoming inactive and losing benefits.

What about the offering?

Not meeting in person doesn’t mean people can’t give. The Center for Faith and Giving offers these FAQs about electronic giving, particularly for churches just getting started, as well as these best practices for stewardship in a time of crisis.

What other ministry resources are available?

General Minister and President Terri Hord Owens is live on Facebook offering prayers for the church and the world each Wednesday at noon EST.

Ideas and resources for worshiping virtually can be found here, including tips for livestreaming, music licensing, prayers, and more.

Disciples Home Missions has provided a number of resources for ministry with children, youth, and families.

More links, tools, ideas, and resources can be found here.

Online Easter service to feature General Minister and President as speaker

Disciples will be able to share an online Easter service featuring Rev. Terri Hord Owens as speaker. Suzanne Castle and Andra Moran (Brim Project) are organizing a full-on worship service to be posted on YouTube Easter Sunday morning.

Included in the service will be a sermon, children’s moment and time of communion as well as music with lyrics. It will be posted on the Disciples YouTube channel.

Individual components of the service such as the sermon, children’s moment, communion meditation and an offering meditation will be available on Friday, April 10, for those congregations that would like to slot the additional material into their own service. These will also be posted on the Disciples YouTube channel.

Each year during Holy Week, congregations across the United States and Canada collect a special offering for many of the general ministries of our Church. This year, these offerings will be received by many congregations April 12.

As congregations look for ways to worship together virtually, the Easter special offering can still be part of your celebrations together. A variety of resources are available to share in your congregation, like videos, PowerPoint slides, children's activities, and more.

Find resources and give online

What does it mean to “love your neighbor” in the midst of a pandemic and shutdown?

Faith leaders have their hands full trying to figure out new ways of being church together in this season of social distancing. Churches may also be looking for safe, innovative ways to respond to unprecedented needs in the community.

“Create and Continue Community Connection from your Couch,” the latest episode from the New Church Hacks webinar series, offers suggestions for how churches can care for people when they literally can’t be close to them.

Together with a panel of featured guests, New Church Ministry will help participants:

Learn to build a response team, identify assets in their congregations, assess community resources and needs
Explore options for community ministry
Inform and organize the congregation for their community care ministry
Conduct worship online but also connect the dots in between worship services

Joining us on the webinar will be Heidi Unruh (Coauthor of Churches That Make a Difference; Hope for Children in Poverty; and The Salt & Light Guidebook), Joy Skjegstad (Author of Seven Creative Models for Community Ministry; Starting a Nonprofit at Your Church; and Winning Grants to Strengthen Your Ministry) and Katy E. Valentine (Coach at katyvalentine.com and founder of Creative Christian Spirituality, LLC).

To advertise in Disciples News Service, contact Cherilyn Williams.

Disciples News Service (DNS) is distributed by Communication Ministries, in the Office of the General Minister and President, and is supported by your gifts to Disciples Mission Fund. To change your subscription, or submit news for consideration in DNS, visit our website.