is the season leading up to Easter, and they are two separate church seasons, just as Advent and Christmas are separate. While Lent is not popular in the secular world, it is actually one of the most important times of year for Christians. 

What is Lent? When does it start? What is “fasting” during Lent?

 leading up to Easter. The forty days of Lent represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan.

 is a celebration and a time of great anticipation, 

Lent is traditionally understood to be a time of penitence (repentance) as Christians reflect on the suffering and death of Jesus.

From its start on Ash Wednesday until its conclusion on Easter Sunday, Lent has been a traditional time for solemn reflection as we identify with Jesus’ suffering and death. Just as we carefully prepare for events in our personal lives, such as a wedding, or birthday; 

a commencement Lent invites us to make our minds and hearts ready for remembering Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.

Because Lent follows the liturgical calendar, the exact date that Lent falls each year changes. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which is always held 

Sundays) before Easter Sunday. Ash Wednesday this year falls on 

These days, Christians around the world observe Lent in different ways. Many from more orthodox and traditional denominations will still observe the fast strictly, beginning with the wearing of ashes on Ash Wednesday and abstinence of meat, fish, eggs and fats until Easter Sunday.

Others will choose to give up just one item for Lent, more commonly a ‘luxury’ such as chocolate, meat or alcohol. It is also becoming increasingly common for people to give up other things in order to refocus their faith during this time; such as TV, going to the gym, even social media.

Many Christians also use Lent to study their Bibles and pray more intensively, making use of the many devotional books and courses now available. Others use simple daily reflections and acts of generosity as a way of putting others first during preparations for Easter.

Sundays during Lent are very important to Christians around the world. Where the Monday-to-Saturday of each of the six weeks are concerned with fasting and abstinence, the Sundays are a celebration symbolic of Christ’s resurrection. Instead of fasting, Christians hold feasts in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice.

Why is Ash Wednesday called Ash Wednesday?

 begins Lent. The day gets its name from the traditional blessing of the ashes taken after the burning of Palm branches (or crosses made from Palm leaves) from the previous year’s Palm Sunday celebrations. In some churches the ashes are used to draw a cross on the head of people to mark the beginning of their Lent fast.

 – the last week of Lent leading up to Easter. On 

 Christians everywhere remember Jesus’ triumphant arrival in Jerusalem. Church services will often include a procession of palm branches, symbolic of the ones laid at Jesus’ feet as he rode into the city. Palm crosses will also be distributed on this day, to be kept until the following year’s Ash Wednesday as a reminder of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

As Holy Week draws to a close and Easter approaches, we have 

 commemorating Judas Iscariot’s intent to betray Jesus; 

, commemorating the Last Supper Jesus shared with his disciples in which he predicts his betrayal by the following denial by Peter; and 

, the day on which Christians around the world remember Jesus’ crucifixion and burial.

With Good Friday over, Christians look forward to 

, the day on which Jesus rose from his tomb.

Looking for interesting resources to accompany you this Lenten Season?  This year we suggest any of the following:

 - This has become somewhat of a recent tradition for us to step through this Lent calendar.  Sign up via email to receive daily devotional reflections featuring a satisfying mix of prayers, prose, music and visual art, to step through Jesus' journey to the cross through Lent and eventually Easter.

 - These thematic short film sessions on Lent are artfully put together and are also nice to step through individually, or with your family, or as a group that you can round up together.

" installation in the Sanctuary.  More to come! 

Some suggestions on what to give up (“fasting”) for Lent

 are for you (and your family, if they’re interested!).  There are many things that you can give up for Lent as an expression of our desire to invite Jesus into our lives, especially during these next 6 weeks, as we reflect on the unfathomable love and sacrifice He displayed on the cross for all of humanity.

This is also a great time to spread love, goodness, and kindness to the world, and be a reflection of Jesus where we are.  It can go beyond “not eating ice cream” or “not having candy”..

I encourage you to reflect on how Lent can be meaningful to you.  The following ideas are only suggestions, so feel free to tailor them to what suits you! Plus, you are not limited to doing just one thing...why not try a few? :)

1. Don’t buy anything that you don’t NEED.

If you can live without it, you don’t need it.  Give it up for Lent.  Put the money that you would have spent into a jar.  You will be surprised at how quickly you build up your savings.

  Once you see how much you saved after the 40 days, split it into two groups: saving & donating.  Don’t spend it.  You worked too hard!

2. Declutter & Simplify 40 things for 40 days

Every day, you walk around your house and collect 40 things to donate or throw away… every day, until Lent ends.

 Try donating, because you are helping others.

Give up gossiping and negative talk for Lent. That means you cannot do any gossiping.  None!

If someone says something negative about another person, either say something nice or don’t say anything at all.  You would think this is going to be SO easy, but when you can’t say anything negative about anyone else, you realize how often it happens, sadly.

4. Work out daily to take care of the body God gave you

Spend this time focusing on taking care of the body that God gave you.  For Lent, commit to doing some kind of workout every single day.  You can go on a walk or join a gym, or even workout at home.

 Team up with a workout buddy! It’s more fun and also helps to keep each other motivated!

5. Don’t Snack on Junk Food After Dinner

This one can be hard for many, but it can provide a glimpse of how Jesus struggled when he was hungry.

 Remove temptation! If you know seeing it will make you crave it, put it away (or tell someone to hide it!). Prep ahead of time healthy alternatives for when the craving hits!

If you normally have artificial sugar in some form at least once a day, this is a tough one!  Sugary foods are so common that we don’t even think about it half the time (e.g. baked goods, desserts, bubble teas, specialty coffees, soft drinks, even fruit juice--if you’re willing to go that far!).

Plan ahead...if you know you need a sugar-hit in the afternoon to get you through the rest of the day, make sure you have a healthy substitute ready!

7. Say 3 Nice Things to Your Family Members Daily

You may think this is easy, but try to say things that aren’t the normal “Thanks,” or “You look nice,” or “Good job.”   Try to do 3 out-of-the-box things during Lent this year.

Try, “Thanks for letting me use your phone/laptop”, or “I appreciate you cooking dinner for us”, or “Thanks for helping me put away the dishes”, or “I love how you always help the kids,” or “I love how you work hard on your homework, even when it is tough tonight.  You are a hard worker.”

Try to make easy meals or search for doable recipes online. Perhaps you want to challenge yourself with harder dishes! With Covid restrictions in place, this is a safe alternative to dining out!

 After you go through it once, start over again… this will give you an arsenal of 40+ days worth of meals!

9. Replace 30 Minutes of TV/Screen Time with 30 Extra Minutes of Devotion/Prayer

Read a devotional or bible story on your own, with a friend or with your family. Have a discussion together about it!

 Try journaling down your thoughts and any prayers that come to mind! This is a great way to keep a record of your spiritual journey, and have concrete evidence of how the Lord has been walking with you!

10. Reach Out to Give Encouragement to Someone Daily

We all know someone, whether a friend, family member, relative or coworker, who could use some encouragement. Why not make it a daily mission to bring joy to others? Send a kind word through email, text message or even a care package to show you’re thinking of them.

Make a list of people you want to reach out to. If you run out of people, you can always reach out to the same person more than once! Plus, it means more to follow up with people too!

“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love,  and he relents from sending calamity.”

May your Lenten journey be a meaningful time spent with Jesus!

 from your friends at New Life Chinese Lutheran Church

A Guide to Lent

 that the congregation can pray for throughout said week. 

These prayer items vary in subject, scope, and level of potential further engagement (i.e. learning more about a particular item of prayer, or checking in with somebody). We'll also print out slips to hand out each week to congregation members as a reminder/memento.

Also, each week we will be praying for a prayer item that Basel Hakka Lutheran Church will be communicating to us, and they will similarly be praying for some of our items in their announcements. We're hoping this would be a good way to lead up to our Dec. 24th Sunday Worship together at their church.

Prayer items for the Advent season (visit back every week!)﻿

Advent 2023

31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

                                                                                                                   Mark 8:31-38 (NRSV)

It is interesting to see how the church has come to see the season of Lent as a time when we have to give up something. This practice of “giving for Lent” while it may provide a means for us to observe the Lenten season, it can also be quite misleading. Whether it is chocolate, Netflix, YouTube, chips or bubble tea, these self-denying gestures can still be self-directed. They may give an appearance of piety and make us feel good doing them. But if we are to scrutinize these gestures more closely, we will find they do not qualify as what Lutherans would refer to as “good works.” Being good Lutherans, we know we are justified by grace through faith and not by doing good works. But good works are still needed, and we are still expected to do them for the sake of our neighbors. So, unless giving up on chocolate, bingeing on Netflix, YouTube, or locking up the bags of chips, or not stopping for bubble tea does somehow help our neighbors, then these are merely another one of Satan’s clever attempts to fool us into thinking that we are doing good when we are really serving ourselves.

But if we think about what Luther considers as good works, then what we have being doing during the pandemic already qualifies. If by not gathering physically for worship or large-scale social functions; if by social distancing and wearing masks when we are in public places; we can mitigate against community spread. And if by giving up our freedom, we can protect the vulnerable from suffering and death. Are these gestures not worthy good works since they are done for the sake of our neighbors? More importantly, are they not also acts of self-denial that we are called to do as disciples of Jesus Christ. Setting our minds on divine things does not mean sticking our heads in the clouds, but looking at the plight of those in our communities and giving ourselves to meet their needs.

Heavenly Father, turn our minds away from human things and set them on divine things so we may become more like your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Reflections on a common Lenten practice in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic

A COVID Lenten Reflection

It has been 7 weeks since our transition to online meetings. 

During that time, we have learned how to use web-based platforms to conduct worship services and hold meetings. Even though things are still not perfect, we are getting the hang of it. We are grateful to God for the gift of technology that allowed us to continue ministering to one another. 

For the first time in the history of the church, Easter was celebrated virtually everywhere. Confined to our homes except when we need to go out for groceries and other essentials, we await patiently for the day when it is safe for schools and businesses to be reopened. 

We do not know how much longer we will have to continue practicing physical distancing and self-isolation. It may be a while. For those of us who have young families especially, we may find it stressful having to adjust our lives to accommodate working at home with home-schooling our children. 

Yet there some who are able to take advantage of this challenging situation to encourage and inspire others with their gifts. Here is an example:

Let This Be Our Prayer

Well-Being BC is a project of the Federation of Independent Schools Association (FISA) and the BC Ministry of Education; a school-based mental health initiative supporting three pillars of well-being: Social Emotional Learning, Mental Health Literacy, and Trauma-Informed Approaches.

Check out their Home Learning video series that show effective strategies you can use in home settings to better support your children in acquiring the skills they need for social, emotional and behavioural well-being and thriving.

An approach to parenting based on building caring and respectful relationships with your children to help them form a foundation for good behaviour and healthy decision making. For those of you whose children attend Vancouver Christian School, you are likely familiar with the Love and Logic approach which is used by their educators.

The online parenting course is currently free until the end of April. It consists of a father-son duo who share their relatable and funny parenting stories and strategies. The videos look dated but the content is still relevant! If you decide to take the course, you have access to the materials for three months.

https://www.loveandlogic.com/collections/parents/products/love-and-logic-parenting-online

Check out the following from the Society of Christian Schools in BC for great suggestions for family faith formation during the pandemic. Great tips for how to foster genuine relationships, cultivate spiritual disciplines, create leadership capacity, developing a heart for others, and engaging in the journey of faith together as a family.

Additional Family Resources 

So, how to do this homeschooling business when you didn’t sign up for it? 

First of all, it is important to be gentle on yourself and take care of yourself. Do not get stressed out thinking you need to create the perfect education plan. It will not be the same as the school they were used to. Consider sharing with your children this reality. 

This would be the time to be honest and allow our children to grant us grace just as we can give them grace in this new experience. It is like an adventure you are journeying with your children together. Share with the kids why you will be teaching them. Together, work out some expectations and rules. You could start by asking them the expectations their teacher had in class and go from there. When children take part in setting expectations and understand why they are doing what they are doing, it would minimize pushback. (More on expectations and behaviour later)

So how do you get started? Pray! Fear of inadequacy, fear of children’s pushback, or other stresses and worries that trouble your mind. We’ll each face different fears. In Isaiah 41:10, God reminds us that in our fear, HE’S with YOU. HE’S the GOD who will ‘strengthen’ YOU, ‘help’ YOU and ‘uphold’ YOU in HIS right hand. Just as He was with the Israelites and delivered them safely into the promised land, He’s with you in this unprecedented time. Our strength is from the Lord! Share this with your children at this time. Now that you do not have to rush out to take your kids to school, you’ll have a little more time to start your day with prayer.

Next, create a routined schedule. This step is very important if not essential to some children. It provides stability and predictability for a child. When similar routines and expectations are practiced and pre-communicated to your child, problem behaviours can be reduced over time. Here is a guide on how to set your routine from 

All Belong Center for Inclusive Education

. The Keep Learning program from BC’s Ministry of Education also has some tips on how to create a 

 has a formal sample schedule for parents to use. The schedule you make will structure the day, however, make sure it reflects how realistically your family can manage in this ever changing landscape. If you cannot personally be available to teach, there are lots of great online lessons that have become available to you in the midst of this pandemic (see resources below). The last thing to remember in your scheduling is to create breaks for both yourself and your children. Not just the bigger chunk of “recess” but little breaks in the midst of hard work. Some children will benefit from a quick mind break or stretch break while doing hard work (see below for resources).

If the idea of “schooling” your children makes your head spin, then consider a learning plan that makes your everyday learning experiences. It’s most likely you have been doing it as it is a very natural part of being a parent. But now you are just a little more intentional about it. When you are doing your devotions bring your child along and read the bible together. When you are cooking or cleaning, bring the kids to do cleaning with you. Not only will the kids be learning essential life skills they are practicing their acts of service within the home. Practice literacy by cuddling together on the couch to read. Take turns reading the book or make funny voices while you read. Ask questions afterwards, like: who are the characters, what was the setting, what problems occurred and how did the problem get resolved. Have your children retell the story. Have them act it out or even turn it into a video! You could even encourage your children to write their own story. BC’s ministry of education has provided some resources for parents in their 

 program. It has some simple ideas of how to inject learning into your daily life under the title “Everyday Learning from Home”.

	So how to juggle with work expectations and behaviours? When you start, set lower expectations on how much a child does. If too much pressure is placed on the child before they are ready for it he/she could quickly feel frustrated. You can slowly increase this workload expectation as days and weeks pass. This gradual transition allows kids to build stamina and slowly get used to the new routine. Motivate your kid(s) with encouragement. Look out for all opportunities to praise your child(ren)’s efforts. (e.g. I love how you didn’t give up on that problem. Wow, You worked really hard on question 2. It made me really happy to see how you printed so neatly and tidily). Give your child a quick high-5 for a job well done! Celebrate with your child with a victory dance right after the child has accomplished something hard or a family board game night when a series of goals are met. Giving choices can encourage a child’s participation. Grant closed choices to achieve the same objective. For example, if the objective is for the child to cultivate their literacy skills the choices can be for 20-30 minutes or spend time writing on a topic of choice. Prep your child so that if they choose the first option, that means the day after they are going to have to do the second choice, and vice versa.

When working with multi-age children, it would simplify planning when you focus on one topic for all kids but give age-appropriate activities to the individuals. For example, a younger child can be learning to tell time while the older child learns how to add and subtract time. Both are learning about time but are adjusted to their age level. Having multi-age children allows you to foster an environment where the children can ask each other first before coming to you for help. Encourage the older child to help or even teach something to the younger one. The older child can feel proud when he/she gets to show off what they know! Lastly, have the kids read to each other and give yourself a break for all your job well done!

If you are looking for educational resources for your child(ren). Visit 

So, How To Do This Homeschooling Business?

During this difficult time when schools are closed indefinitely because of COVID-19, it can feel a little daunting to have to deal with the chaos resulting from this pandemic and still have to take care of your child’s learning. We would like to assure you that our ministry leaders are here for you at this time. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us when things get stressful.

If you are home with your kids, take advantage of this time as an opportunity when you can integrate education with our Christian values (e.g. Talk about stewardship when they are learning about biodiversity). Have fun with the extra time to build relationships with your children.

If you are looking for some ways to support your child’s academic learning, I have put together some resources that you can use. The highly recommended ones are marked with ‘***’. Every child and family is different, I hope you will find something you can enjoy with your kids.

In another blog post I have put together some homeschooling strategies. If you want more detailed guidance, visit the page: 

How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.					Psalm 36:7 (ESV)

 have 3 weeks of day by day curriculum that are easy to follow and with minimum planning on the parents’ part. Ages K-9 (Resources are provided for parents to guide the kids into the material)

*** has been providing high quality online learning videos for preschoolers to adults.The video lessons comes with lots of practice questions to prepare a child before moving on to the next lesson. Parents can simply select the subject and grade appropriate to each child. Each child will have an account where Khan Academy can send reports of the child's progress to parents via email. (Minimal teaching from parents required.)

 ***
Fun and short animated learning videos on various subjects even including famous people. It comes with quizzes, key vocabularies, additional reading and other learning materials including games to support learning. (The videos are great for learning a concept that parents then can expand the learning through the resources given or from your own lesson plan)

*** is a 10 weeks free online Educational Interactive classroom featuring themes on nature & animals. You must register in order to get the weekly secret link to the interactive classroom.

*** is a literacy and comprehension program in various reading levels.

 has gone live with their new YouTube science lessons. This is perfect for your science loving child. This can also work as a supporting resource for your lesson plans or as an educational show.

has lots of math worksheets for kids K-12. Great for practicing and sharpening math skills after learning a math concept.

 provides worksheets for various subjects for K-5.

 is a Christlike character-building curriculum for children ages 3-10 created by Focus on the Family Association.

 is a French literacy app made for K-2. Students travel through themed worlds as they accomplish their learning journey.

: Christian audio stories and devotions for age 10+

There are always ample of great ideas from 

Two Family worship suggestions: one from 

Teach Us to Pray: Scripture- Centered Family Worship Through the Year

 (Lent sampler) by Lora A. Copley and Elizabeth Vander Haagen

 This movie from Revelation Media is free to watch until April 30th, 2020.

Sushi Monster: Addition and multiplication game

Ten Frame Mania: Addition and subtraction using ten frame

: Dance and sing worship songs with motion

Freeze Dance to your own music or try this one from 

Do simple stretches or push-up type exercises. Allow your child to decide how many to do by rolling a dice. Variations: ask the child to show you an exercise, practice mental math by adding 1more /1 less or double the number on the dice to get the number of exercises to do.

***: visit the aquarium while social distancing

Lunch time Doodle with Mo Willems (Author of Gerald and Piggie books)

Adventure and Odyssey (Radio stories series from Focus on the Family)

( Amazon’s Audio books- With subscription you can find Children’s Chinese tories)

Search for children’s audio stories online

Public Library’s Digital Library: Visit any public web site and log in with your library card

Educational Resources for Parents

Anxiety is a normal reaction to uncertainty and things that may harm us. The situation with COVID-19 makes for a very uncertain future. People worry about their own health and the health of loved ones, the state of school or work, their finances, and if and when they will be able to resume their daily routines and social norms.

While anxiety is a normal and expected reaction to the pandemic, too much anxiety can be harmful. Feeling stressed and fearful every day affects your health and well-being very quickly. For some people, anxiety and fear can lead to panic while for others, it can cause denial or refusing to believe the severity of the situation.

When you feel anxious and uncertain about the future, it’s easy to feel hopeless. The COVID-19 situation may seem out of your control, but that isn’t entirely true.

1. Be kind to yourself and practice self-care.

Even people who don’t usually struggle with anxiety are experiencing more worry and anxiety now. Just because we’re Christians doesn’t mean we’re immune to these feelings or that we don’t struggle with them. So don’t be hard on yourself if you’re experiencing more anxiety than usual.

Build self-care into your day, even (and especially) as activities change and routines are disrupted. Eat as well as possible, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, and make time for hobbies. All the things you do to take care of yourself will help manage your stress. And by taking good care of yourself, you’ll be better prepared to take care of others. Some self-care ideas include:

Read about something other than the virus

Start a digital detox (leave your phone alone for a while)

You can explore self-management strategies for anxiety from Anxiety Canada at 

You can also take the Bounce Back Online, a self-directed course from the Canadian Mental Health Association to help people manage low mood, stress, and anxiety. The online version is available for free. No referral needed. Visit 

2. Remember you are resilient; be careful with the “what ifs”.

In stressful situations, people often underestimate how well they will be able to cope but people are resilient and have coping skills they use every day.

Think of difficult or challenging situations you have encountered that you were able to manage. Even if things weren’t perfect, what did you do to cope with the situation?

Remind yourself that you can handle stress and that if you feel you need support, you can reach out to family, friends, colleagues or professionals.

Remember our collective resources -from excellent health care and public health response systems to strong and resilient communities. Try to replace catastrophic thoughts with something like, “This is definitely a difficult time, but we will get through it together.”

Don’t underestimate what you are able to do when faced with challenges.

Challenge your worries and anxious thoughts. Negative thoughts aren’t necessarily true and instead, are beliefs we’ve grown used to. Check out the following exercise to challenge your worries and anxious thoughts (

CAMH Challenging worries and anxious thoughts

3. Limit the news & unplug from social media. Make sure the news you get is factual.

Using reliable sources of information will ensure that what you do learn is fact, and not fear-based.

It’s also important to find a good balance in your use of technology. While it can be helpful, technology can have a real impact on well-being. If you do watch or read the news, try to limit how often you do:

Commit to only checking in a couple times a day.

Set a regular time when you check the news everyday. Standardizing the times you check will help to both think less about it and to reduce fighting with yourself to check.

Disable news alerts on your phone so that you get updates when you want them.

https://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/wellness-module/wellness-module-10-staying-mentally-healthy-with-technology

 (Staying Mentally Healthy with Technology by the Canadian Mental Health Association of B.C.).

Some people find it helpful to talk through anxiety-provoking situations like COVID-19, but others may find that conversations make their anxiety worse. If you need to limit conversations, it’s okay to tell family, friends, and co-workers that you can’t participate. You can also change the subject or just don’t bring it up. Just make sure you don’t ignore all news and important messages -the goal is to take in information you need and cut down on the excess, not ignore the situation all together.

Stay connected with family and friends. Isolating yourself from others, such as staying home from school or working from home for longer periods of time, can affect your mood. Find ways to connect with people you care about in other ways. If you can’t see someone in person, you can still reach out by phone, text, or video call. If you live alone, consider a plan to check in regularly (just not face-to-face) with a friend, family member, or neighbour.

Help others if you can. Ask friends, family members, or neighbours if they need anything, such as groceries or other household needs. Simply checking in can make a big difference.

Maintaining a sense of calm, especially when talking to children, will go a long way toward easing their fears and uncertainty. Provide age-appropriate, factual information and give them the opportunity to ask questions and share how they are feeling. For specific tips about how to talk to your children about COVID-19 and its impact check out the following from The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (

Talking to children about COVID-19 and its impact

7. Avoid substance use -including smoking, vaping and alcohol

Sometimes people use substances, including smoking or vaping, to cope with stress, anxiety and depression. This may appear to help reduce stress initially, but in the long run it can make things worse as the brain and body develops tolerance to the numbing effects of these substances. In those at risk, this can lead to addiction or relapse to those who are in recovery.

People feel anxious about the future at the best of times. Most of us have never encountered a pandemic like this before. It’s okay if you need help. If you are having trouble managing your mental health, contact your healthcare provider and encourage those you love to do the same.

Here are some signs you or someone you know might benefit from extra help and support:

You can’t think of anything other than COVID-19

Your anxiety interferes in your daily life -for example, you have a hard time going to work or being in public spaces even when the risk is very low.

You isolate yourself from others when it isn’t necessary

You feel hopeless or angry about the situation

You have a hard time eating or sleeping well

You experience physical symptoms like frequent headaches or an upset stomach

Consider tele-health or e-health services, online support, and online or app-based self-management tools. You can learn more and find resources at 

Managing COVID-19 Stress, Anxiety and Depression

 Your doctor’s office may also offer tele-health or e-health services. If you need ore information about local services or you just need someone supportive to talk to, call the BC Mental Health Support Line at 310-6789 (no area code) at any time.

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health also has a variety of tools to help you better understand your stress levels. The surveys below, when taken together, tell you how much stress you are experiencing, if it appears to be getting excessive, and your coping capacity. These tools are for educational purposes only and are not for diagnosing mental illness but they can be helpful in informing your discussions with your healthcare provider, counsellor, or someone you trust. For people already diagnosed with a mental illness, many of your symptoms might overlap with or be worsened by your feelings about the pandemic. If possible, reach out to your healthcare provider to make sure you are not experiencing a relapse, and adjust any treatment as required.

COVID-19 and Anxiety (Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division)

https://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/infosheet/covid-19-and-anxiety

What to do if you’re anxious or worried about coronavirus (COVID-19) (Anxiety Canada)

https://www.anxietycanada.com/articles/what-to-do-if-you-are-anxious-or-worried-about-coronavirus-covid-19/

Managing COVID-19 Stress, Anxiety, & Depression (B.C. Government)

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/managing-your-health/mental-health-substance-use/managing-covid-stress

Mental Health and the COVID-19 Pandemic (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health)

http://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-health-and-covid-19

Be Mindful of Your Mental Health

In any crisis, we are always looking for “heroes”--people who, by their calling, respond to the occasion with unwavering dedication, even if it means putting their lives on the line. 

Our present situation with COVID-19 is no exception. Health care workers, first responders and providers of essential services have become our “heroes” by the way they have been helping us to deal with the deadly threat of the pandemic. 

As a church, we give thanks to God for them and continue to support them in what they do with our prayers. In some ways, their dedication also reminds us of the ultimate self-giving love of God--Christ’s giving of himself on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. As Holy Week looms around the corner, here is an inspiring story of one doctor’s selflessness to light our way:

http://saltandlight.sg/news/in-the-midst-of-covid-there-exists-a-hope-unshakeable-everlasting-and-true-what-beatrice-chao-learnt-from-her-father-who-died-battling-sars/

No Greater Love...

Our Lenten journey this year has become so much darker because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We watch as communities across the world, including our own, desperately grapple with a rapidly deteriorating situation. Hundreds of thousands of people are infected and the numbers continue to climb every day. The death toll from the disease is in the tens of thousands, many of them health care workers who had worked tirelessly to care for the infected, and often had to do so without proper personal protective equipment. In an attempt to slow down the spread of the coronavirus, countries have closed down their borders, ban visitors and ordered lockdowns to minimize community transmission.

Here in Canada, an invisible enemy is in our midst and it is ravaging our communities. The different levels of government and health authorities are forced to introduce sweeping measures in an effort to contain COVID-19. All international air travel has been banned indefinitely. Many provinces have declared a state of emergency. Daily briefings by health authorities emphasize the critical need to practice social distancing. People are ordered to stay at home except for the purpose of getting groceries, medicine and other essential supplies. Non-essential businesses closed down and workers laid off as a result. All levels of government are frantically putting together an economic response plan to deal with a financial fallout impacting both businesses and individuals.

In response to the need to practice social distancing and self-isolation, churches have cancelled physical worship services and other gatherings, and transitioned to using online platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, Facebook and YouTube to conduct worship services and hold meetings. The question remains as to how churches can still maintain a semblance of community without any physical contact with each other. We are in uncharted territory and we need to learn fast to adapt to the new situation.

Physical distancing and self-isolation can be a challenging experience for many people. After just one week, some are already feeling a sense of loneliness and boredom because of the lack of social interaction and human contact. The urge to gather in groups and have fun can be really tempting. But to engage in such activities is irresponsible. As Christians, the command to love our neighbors as ourselves governs all our human relationships. It means that we must not put the lives of others at risk by what we do. We may think because we are young and healthy, and as statistics suggest, not as likely to succumb to COVID-19 as the seniors and those with pre-existing health challenges. But by flouting the order to practice social distance, we can become links in a transmission chain infecting the more vulnerable members of our community. I heard Christians justifying not practicing social distancing by saying that God will protect them and even if they are infected, it is God’s will. While secretly, I am glad that they are not members of our church, I am also sad that they are mistaken in their belief that God will always supernaturally intervene to protect them and there is no need to use their God-given common sense. Such a response reflects a gross misinterpretation of the Bible. More importantly, it puts others at risk.

Moreover, Christians are called to submit themselves to the authorities who are appointed by God to maintain law and order for the sake of peace and to promote the welfare of society. We do not always agree with the policies of our government, but in this case, it is clear that they were introduced for the health and well-being of our communities. For this reason, we should not only abide by these policies, but to collaborate with the authorities in every way we can to mitigate against the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.

During Lent, we are encouraged to engage in meaningful activities that can help us better identify with the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. Fasting, repentance and doing acts of kindness for others are some of the traditional ways we observe Lent. In the context of a world grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems that practicing social distancing, self-isolation, refraining from hoarding and assisting those who are in need are perhaps the most appropriate ways of observing Lent this year.

This is indeed a time when the church plays a vital role. In the darkness of despair everywhere, the message of Good News must shine forth. And as Easter approaches, we offer the hope that despite the staggering toll of COVID-19, even this global calamity shall pass. The resurrected Lord who is the Giver of Life has triumphed over death and the grave.

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