When I moved to New York City, it was the beginning of what was to be known as GRIDs(gay-related immune deficiency syndrome) and later AIDS/HIV. I was working at three upper East Side Hospitals doing chaplaincy training. The doctors were discussing young men who were coming into the hospital with cancers that only older men had. Others had brain infections. Still, others were dying with pneumonia. The tumors and other diseases had nothing in common, except they were all found in young gay men.
As more and more people died, information was more and more confusing. The rumors had it to be airborne. Later, the suggestion was you were going to get whatever it was if you touched someone who had it. As more and more died those first few years, there was a collective sigh of relief: It is just the gays getting what they deserved.
Politicians and theologians walked with that thought until it affected one of their own regardless of whether they were gay or not. And that changed, especially in the faith community when we invited the outcasts into our assemblies, cared for them, fed them, worshipped, and mourned with them. We didn’t keep our distance.
Forty years later, we are facing a virus that just five months ago, we would never have imagined. This time we would face another disease that has the potential to devastate all of the world’s older population and people everywhere who are immuno-compromised. It went against my grain and faith to keep distant from those with HIV/AIDS, and so it does today. Closing the church to worship and prayer feels like the wrong direction, especially after the experience of the 1980s. It is exhausting to feel torn by what is happening all around us. As a servant people and people of faith, we need to gather and share our journeys. We want to be, not only social but the family in the most profound sense.
We (Trinity Middle Village, where I am serving) have begun to worship virtually because hugs and kisses, at least for now, can kill those we love. We are taking advantage of technology to reach out and offer solace. Our community is praying on line to hear a familiar voice. Worship together is surprising us on our computer desktops, our cell phones, and notebooks. We are doing a new thing, loving the people of the world by staying away. We are not just praying together; we are praying apart and publicly together.
It is truly a time to love one another, healing each other in our broken and torn world in every way we can.
For now, join with us until we can join for breakfast and dinner in faith.
Prayer:
Monday – Friday 12:15- 12:45 EDT
via ZOOM.US join room 718-335-7300
Worship:
Sunday
Gather 10:00 EDT
via ZOOM.US, join room 718-335-7300
Matins 10:30 EDT
via ZOOM.US, join room 718-335-7300
