Congregational Response to the Pandemic: Extraordinary Social Outreach in a Time of Crisis

The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of EPIC.

Rev. Miluska E. Silencio

When the Hartford Institute for Religion Research released its second report on how U.S. congregations navigated the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings pointed to resilience and innovation — food trucks repurposed as mobile feeding centers, new dementia cafes, sandwich ministries scaling to feed 1,200 people a week. As a woman church planter serving a congregation in Brooklyn during that same period, I recognized much of what the Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations study documented. Here is what I witnessed firsthand.

My congregants who were embedded in the Brooklyn neighborhood were well informed of local resources and moved quickly to distribute them. One was involved with Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly and, when that organization expressed distress, congregants stepped in — making phone calls to isolated seniors, and once vaccinated, visiting them in person. Another congregant not only maintained her phone relationship with an elderly woman but helped her set up Zoom so she could join our online life groups. A third took it upon himself to help elderly neighbors register for the COVID-19 vaccine and drove them to their appointments. Reflecting on those moments, I keep returning to Psalm 133:1: “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity.” That is how I experienced our congregation in the midst of crisis.

Pandemic Pressures

The study’s findings on financial strain also rang true. Our congregation faced real pressure — both institutionally and through the pastoral care needs of members who lost jobs. Our elder board responded by creating a benevolence crisis fund, launching an online fundraising campaign, and developing a simple confidential application process so those in need could request help without exposure. Through a congregant’s network, we were also able to provide groceries to families with no other means. Grants from nonprofit organizations kept our media and production infrastructure running; without them, I don’t believe we could have sustained services through the pandemic. I remain deeply grateful to our worship and staff team, who pivoted creatively every time the situation required it.

And yet our congregation did not survive. By June 2022, the cumulative weight of member displacement, job losses and our lead pastor’s burnout brought us to a close. The announcement came just one week after we had gathered as a staff to plan our return to a new in-person space — which made it all the more devastating. Our congregants carried real grief, anger and distrust in the aftermath.

That experience leads me to hope future research will examine congregations that did not make it — particularly those serving Chinese and African American communities, which faced compounding crises including racial violence alongside the pandemic. I also hope future reports will document creative outreach models for young families with children, an area where we always fell short. Now that I have a family of my own, I know it will be a priority in any future ministry I help shape.

Rev. Miluska E. Silencio has been an active youth minister in her NYC community since 2005, aiding immigrant families as a pastor in various church plants along with being an activist outside of church walls, bridging faith and justice with her formerly undocumented immigrant story. Her roots are as Afro-Peruvian and indigenous from her father and through her mother’s side Italian, she is in a journey of discovering her heritage and takes joy in doing so being part of the Indigenous Ministers Association as vice president. She is currently an Evangelical Covenant Church licensed clergy member serving as a coach to pastors, church planters and future women pastors; along with being an Assistant Site Director for Immigrant Connection NYC. She earned her bachelor’s from CUNY Hunter College as a double major of psychology and religion, has a seminary degree, MPS, from Alliance University and is pursuing her Doctor of Ministry in Urban Ministry at Fuller Seminary. She has worked in higher education administration at Hunter College, served as an enrollment manager, faculty, and youth seminary coordinator for City Seminary of New York (CSNY). As part of CSNY, she was a researcher with Dr. Maria Liu Wong & Dr. Geomon George on “Engaging the Present and Envisioning the Future: Leadership Development in an Urban Youth Seminary.” As a writer, she contributed her story Restaurando Esperanza in “Keeping the Faith: Reflections on Politics & Christianity in the Era of Trump & Beyond.” Rev. Silencio is married to Josh, a hearty bicycle mechanic, and they have one son named Benjamin. In her free time, she can be found catching up on Netflix shows with her hubby, enjoying her kids smiles, and having piña colada cheers with friends. She is married to Josh, a hearty bicycle mechanic, and they have two kids under 2 years old.