Amid a pandemic that has touched practically every aspect of life, religious organizations have been forced to adapt to meet new health and safety concerns.
Her Campus UFL checked in with a few religious organizations on and around campus to see how they have adjusted.
Located just across from the Murphree Area dorms on West University Avenue, St. Augustine Church and Catholic Student Center in the Diocese of St. Augustine has a mission to “bring Christ to the campus community and the community to Christ.” It offers daily mass as well as other programming including Bible studies and women’s and men’s ministries. The Diocese of St. Augustine resumed in-person mass beginning the weekend of May 16 after having suspended public mass since March. As Kathleen Bagg, communication director for the Diocese of St. Augustine explained, in-person services don’t look the same. Along with social distancing and other changes, hymnals have been removed from pews, and holy water has been emptied from fonts. Bagg said there have been mixed reactions to these changes, but that there has been mostly understanding.
Islam On Campus (IOC)’s normal operations began to be affected by the pandemic in March when the university shut down. This semester, most of IOC’s events are online and for the few in-person events there is still an online option. “The most important thing is to be able to stay adaptable and accessible to everyone,” Yasin Adam, the vice president of external affairs, said. For students who may feel disconnected from other students, or from their faith, during this time, Adam encouraged embracing technology such as FaceTime or Zoom to connect with friends as well as attending IOC events to stay religiously connected.
As Rabbi Jonah Zinn of UF Hillel explained, the coronavirus somewhat abruptly changed normal operations of the organization, which supports Jewish students and Jewish life on campus, shortly after spring break. Adapting to the pandemic has meant safety measures such as masks, temperature checks and required RSVPs for in-person events as well as offering new online options and “DIY” options such as a Passover Seder kit. “Every student has a different level of comfort with gathering and that’s why we continue to offer a range of opportunities,” Zinn said. He said it is hard to predict what will happen in the future but that he suspects virtual worship options may be around for a while.
The Gator Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Campus Ministry for UF, has changed its whole approach to Sunday worship. Instead of gathering to worship inside in the worship space on the second floor of the Gator Wesley building, the Gator Wesley Foundation now invites students to gather Sundays at 7 p.m., pick up a boxed dinner and travel in small dinner groups to an outdoor location to eat together and watch digital worship content.
Lubavitch Chabad Jewish Student and Community Center was closed for assembly for a period in the spring but offered “DIY” Passover Seder kits and online options. Now there are limited in-person gatherings following social distancing and health guidelines. During the early months of the pandemic, when most Americans were self-isolating, Rabbi Aaron Notik said that Lubavitch Chabad had almost a buddy system with student board members reaching out and checking in on other students and community members. In addition, Notik said, “I’ve reminded our students that the Jewish faith is one that can and should be practiced everywhere, first and foremost in the home.”
Religious organizations are facing many challenges as they navigate and adapt to the dangers of the pandemic and the requirements of health and safety guidelines. The range of subsequent creative solutions offer UF students and community members a myriad of worship options including perhaps more online options than previously available.