My husband is pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Ridgeville Corners, Ohio. I live with him in the parsonage next to the church, and before all of the recent changes would drive about 50 miles to school each day. Now, I teach online from a spare bedroom upstairs in the parsonage, until we are allowed to be together at school once again.
Our small community just organized a simple and low-tech way to help each other check up on elderly or homebound neighbors who might have a non-emergency need, and don't have family nearby to help them out. Residents are given two sheets of colored paper, red and green, and instructions for how to use them. Green in the window means all is well. Red in the window means non-emergency help is needed: groceries, non-emergency medical transportation, or some other need.
Maybe you have neighbors who could benefit from a simple messaging system like this. It's a way for each of us to reach out and assist in Christian love while also maintaining the currently mandated and necessary social distancing. I'm thankful for neighbors who had this simple idea and are working to get the word out. As for me, I'll be keeping an eye on my neighbors' front windows.
Deaconess Dr. Deborah Rockrohr, EdD,
Theology Department - Teacher
Theology Department - Teacher