{"id":31455,"date":"2022-09-10T15:31:05","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:31:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/4-struggles-covid-19-causes-for-single-adults-in-your-church\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T15:31:05","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:31:05","slug":"4-struggles-covid-19-causes-for-single-adults-in-your-church","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/4-struggles-covid-19-causes-for-single-adults-in-your-church\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Struggles COVID-19 Causes for Single Adults in Your Church"},"content":{"rendered":"
Photo by Eli DeFaria on Unsplash <\/p>\n

By Bekah Stoneking<\/em><\/p>\n

The world is riddled with fear right now. Fear of sickness. Fear of death. Fear of economic loss. And the list goes on.<\/p>\n

No one is immune to these fears. However, for the single people in your congregation, we\u2019re grappling with these fears\u2014plus some.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m a single woman. I\u2019m also a church member who has many friends and is active in kids ministry. As we self-quarantine and comply with local stay-at-home orders (as I hope you are), it\u2019s critical for church leaders to understand the extra set of concerns single adults grapple with.<\/p>\n

A heightened sense of loneliness<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s hard being away from loved ones during this crisis for married people, even though they have each other. It\u2019s another thing navigating a pandemic alone: having to make decisions on my own (without counsel, without someone to talk it out) and not having anyone to process thoughts and feelings with.<\/p>\n

Pray for us at night when we’re not only alone, but extra isolated because it’s too late for phone calls. Send texts, initiate video chats, and send fun GIFs and memes. These are small things, but they add up to a big positive impact on our mental and emotional state.<\/p>\n

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Not having solidarity with others<\/strong><\/h3>\n

I don’t have someone to fight for me or to protect me; no one built in I can go to for shelter or support. I’m pretty strong and self-sufficient, but this pandemic reinforces my aloneness and increases my vulnerability.<\/p>\n

Dealing with a crisis by yourself is hard.<\/p>\n

Not having needs met <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Yes, being locked up with a spouse or with kids (and trying to balance work on top of that) is difficult. For people whose lives are spouses and kids, being alone for a few days sounds nice. I even enjoy totally alone, silent, still days.<\/p>\n

But weeks on end with no option for reprieve when we were made for community and relationships is a level of pain and stress I’ve never had to bear; will I have what I need? I will be financially okay (hourly singles won’t be), but will I have supplies?<\/p>\n

I can’t share the burden if I don’t have someone to help cover me\u2014to help me think through all that needs to be done.<\/p>\n

One way church leaders or others in the congregation can help mitigate this fear might be as simple as asking singles if they need anything when they go on grocery runs (whether they’re immunocompromised or not). Sometimes it’s nice to not have to do everything by yourself and for yourself.<\/p>\n

An exacerbated feeling of helplessness<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If tragedy strikes (personally or to a loved one), we\u2019re alone. For me, personally, there\u2019s a lot of potential for tragedy right now: my mother is a nurse, and my dad is immunocompromised. And, they live several hours away. I’m worried about my parents and grandmothers out of state.<\/p>\n

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See also  Why Pastors Must Acknowledge Their Own Needs<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Church leaders and other congregation members can offer to be the \u201c2 a.m.-er\u201d\u2014even if you can’t physically help; just being available to be on the phone will give us peace of mind.<\/p>\n

Ideas for singles (because we have a responsibility to one another, too.)<\/strong><\/h3>\n