Pastor Verna Cal

In times such as this I am reminded of an old gospel hymn titled, “Take Time to be Holy” by William Dunn Longstaff.

“Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord; Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word. Make friends of God's children, help those who are weak, Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.”

The world around us has changed. We fear that this may be the new normal.

But for how long?

We can't help but be apprehensive and anxious about our future. People are out of work; shops are closed; kids are receiving internet schooling; hospitals lack protective gear, medicines, and ventilators, putting staff and patients in danger; seniors are isolated, and we are all told to stay at home.

Nothing seems the same.

Yet a hymn written over 100 years ago in 1882 can still speak to us today about our spiritual needs and how to respond to this coronavirus threat in ways that can inspire our faith and actions.

Simply put, “Take Time to be Holy” means to take time for prayer, reading the Bible, reading devotionals, listening to favorite inspirational music, attending worship services via internet.

It can be an opportunity to rethink our priorities. Being forced to keep our distance has made us realize how important our family and friends are, whom we might have taken for granted in the past.

This hymn also reminds us that despite social distancing, it is important to find ways to reach out to others and help those in need.

I have recently read how residents in a continuing care senior community in Pennsylvania responded to the shortage of facemasks by making over 1,000 homemade masks for use by the residents.

These senior citizens are using sewing skills developed over a lifetime, often underappreciated, to make a difference in the lives of those in need.

Sharing their gifts and abilities adds to their self-worth and brings them renewed purpose. Both the giver and receiver can be blessed in this kind of exchange.

So don't let anyone convince you that you are powerless to make a difference. All of us have gifts that can help others in this special time of need.

This can be a time of blessing where creative ideas can change the outcome of this pandemic. Seek stories that uplift and inspire you not to give up hope, such as how researchers are discovering new techniques for testing and treatment.

Seek ways to reach out to family and friends who cannot be physically together. We can do this by calling on the phone, by using social media, by writing notes of encouragement, by thanking others, and by offering help.

Doing these things will renew our hope and make us stronger against the threats of this coronavirus.

Verna Call is former pastor of St. John's United Church of Christ in Evans City.