Hilton Head, Bluffton clergy need voice in pandemic for church, but also full community

Clergy are caught in a unique quandary in providing leadership, not only to our own communities but also to the community at-large.

Recently I was invited along with a group of clergy to join a task force as part of a larger effort by the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce to discuss opening our facilities, and support the efforts to open up and phase in the economic sector of the community.

The Chamber is correct in understanding how the faith community and its spiritual leaders play an important role in setting the spiritual and moral tone for what it is trying to achieve.

The question is how clergy can be of assistance.

And are there issues when economic plans may conflict with religious values?

One can make the argument that resurgent economic activity in our community impacts jobs, which is the lifeblood of our community. That will also impact the ability of faith based communities to sustain themselves too.

Phased-in strategies that claim to employ safety procedures while also bolstering the business community go hand in hand.

Furthermore, that kind of middle road will also apply to houses of worship that need to balance budgets, pay the clergy and professional and administrative staffs, and maintain facilities as well.

In some regard, the interests of the religious community and its ability to serve its people compliment the interests of the Chamber of Commerce’s phased-in approach toward reopening Hilton Head Island and Bluffton.

On the other side, let us not forget that religious leaders are in a different way elected officials too. Their boards elect them to their positions, or a bishop assigns them to their pulpit. So they have a moral and religious duty to first and foremost serve their communities.

Coronavirus cases

Surely most of our congregations have established pandemic committees and are working to develop a safe, phased-in approach for parishioners.

As of this writing, infections and death rates in Beaufort County are modest compared to other hot spots in the nation.

In South Carolina as of Saturday, over 7,500 citizens had been infected with COVID-19 with an additional 168 new infections reported. Moreover, the state reported that 300 South Carolinians have died from the disease, including 10 new deaths reported that day.

State officials remind us that with increased testing we will see a spike in the infection rate, which will go beyond the numbers currently reported. As of Saturday, Beaufort County had approximately 272 reported cases of infection and 12 deaths.

Churches

Volunteer and clergy leadership working together realize that they must create plans that do not endanger their own congregants.

They cannot afford to be wrong because the consequences would be devastating on so many different levels.

We are speaking about everything from how to respect social distancing in the pews during worship services, the role of choirs, children and adults in the religious schools, adult education, youth groups, social gatherings in the building, protecting employees — and the list goes on.

The “when” question for faith-based institutions to open up their doors may have a very different timeline than the business community.

With so many of our members being seniors and at advanced ages, there is a special concern and reality about going too fast.

Now that the restaurants are opening up as well as other sectors of the community, it could be a blessing for the business interests, but it could also increase the public health risks for a large segment of our residential population.

So how to balance those two interests is the big question.

Town Council

Ultimately the Town Council will receive the recommendations from the Chamber and its vote on this plan will be consequential toward maintaining the public health of our community.

With the forthcoming tourist season building up, these kinds of issues become more relevant and we may see that there are situations where the interests of the business and the faith communities might not compliment each other after all.

It is critical to know that our spiritual leaders are not only responsible to our own respective communities, but also to the community at-large where our congregants live.

Even though each clergy has his or her own lens from which they interpret their faith teachings, the important principle is that they express themselves to our elected officials regarding how best to protect and preserve the communities they serve.

Clergy represent the symbolic exemplars of the sacred values from each religious tradition.

Clergy provide the pastoral support and comfort in times of need.

But aren’t they also supposed to represent a moral voice in the society at-large too?

Does the transition toward opening up our communities in the middle of this pandemic require those voices now more than ever before?

Rabbi Brad Bloom of Hilton Head Island writes on matters of faith.