密歇根新闻广播 教堂因病毒取消朝拜活动

 

Houses of worship across Michigan are suspending in person services for the next several weeks to help combat the spread of COVID-19. The Imams Council of Michigan announced that Friday prayers would be cancelled at all mosques² across the state for the next two weeks. That is just one example of the difficult decisions faith leaders are making as the number of novel coronavirus cases in the state continues to climb. Stateside talked to a few faith leaders about how they are adapting, and what they are telling congregants at a time when so much is uncertain.

Kassem Ali is the executive administrator³ of the Dearborn-based Islamic Center of America, which is the largest mosque¹ in North America. Ali said that the mosque will still be open for individuals to come and pray, but all events and congregational services will be cancelled.

“Part of a Muslim’s obligation is to pray in congregation and to be with other Muslims, especially during Friday prayer. But under circumstances where there is some great risk there, then we have advised people that their obligations continue as individual Muslims at home,” he said.

While the COVID-19 pandemic is radically⁵ disrupting life for Americans, Ali said that it is also an opportunity to come together in a time of political polarization.

“It’s a wake up call frankly⁶. The great polarization that has been happening over the last few years, not just this administration, but it’s been building up,” Ali explained. “And we frankly are being tested. And the test will be that if you work together, you will prevail, you will succeed. And polarization will always lead to failure.”

One of the things that's so challenging is the evolving guidance on the health risks of COVID-19. Leaders can make a plan, but then circumstances change. Pastor⁷ Linda Stephan of Williamston United Methodist Church had originally proposed a hybrid⁸ service where healthy members could attend in person, and others could attend via a livestream.

Those plans recently changed. She is now planning to stream her sermon on Facebook Live. Stephan is adamant⁹ that “gathering matters,” but said she understands the importance of her role as a faith leader in this uncertain time.

“I am also grateful that I’m in the place that I’m at, and hopefully [will] be a calming presence to my people and also a bold leader, and to make some good decisions, not just for my church community, but for everyone,” Stephan said.

Rabbi Josh Whinston of Temple Beth Emeth in Ann Arbor⁴ said the changes in congregational services he's had to make is hard on everyone in their faith community. Shabbat will be livestreamed for the time being. Bar and bat mitzvahs will continue, but he's asking that only immediate¹⁰ family be present at the celebrations.

“It feels awful, and I feel saddened that I’m asking people not to show up tonight. I do this work because I want to connect with people, and help people ensure that they don’t feel alone,” Whinston said. “And I realize that the request we’re making could do the opposite for people.”

There are several Holocaust¹¹ survivors¹² who attend Temple Beth Emeth, and Whinston said that they offer him a model of empathy and compassion¹³.

“If I were to be listening to them, they would tell me, I think, to take a breath, to do what is right for other people, to be kind, to be patient, to make sure that when I’m at the grocery store, that I’m not getting upset with the clerk, and to help each other out," he said.

1 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

2 mosques   

清真寺； 伊斯兰教寺院，清真寺； 清真寺，伊斯兰教寺院( mosque的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Why make us believe that this tunnel runs underneath the mosques? 为什么要让我们相信这条隧洞是在清真寺下？
• The city's three biggest mosques, long fallen into disrepair, have been renovated. 城里最大的三座清真寺，过去年久失修，现在已经修复。

3 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

4 arbor   

n.凉亭；树木

参考例句：

• They sat in the arbor and chatted over tea.他们坐在凉亭里，边喝茶边聊天。
• You may have heard of Arbor Day at school.你可能在学校里听过植树节。

5 radically   

ad.根本地，本质地

参考例句：

• I think we may have to rethink our policies fairly radically. 我认为我们可能要对我们的政策进行根本的反思。
• The health service must be radically reformed. 公共医疗卫生服务必须进行彻底改革。

6 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

7 pastor   

n.牧师，牧人

参考例句：

• He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
• We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

8 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。

9 adamant   

adj.坚硬的，固执的

参考例句：

• We are adamant on the building of a well-off society.在建设小康社会这一点上，我们是坚定不移的。
• Veronica was quite adamant that they should stay on.维罗妮卡坚信他们必须继续留下去。

10 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

11 holocaust   

n.大破坏；大屠杀

参考例句：

• The Auschwitz concentration camp always remind the world of the holocaust.奥辛威茨集中营总是让世人想起大屠杀。
• Ahmadinejad is denying the holocaust because he's as brutal as Hitler was.内贾德否认大屠杀，因为他像希特勒一样残忍。

12 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

13 compassion   

n.同情，怜悯

参考例句：

• He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
• Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。