NEW YORK — “I need a pastor, please,” wrote one individual after seeing the call for volunteer pastors.
To respond to the need for comfort and prayer, a network of volunteer “virtual” pastors is gathering to provide pastoral care and prayer to frontline workers and people in need.
“The response was immediate. We had 10 faith leaders sign up within 5 minutes, on a Sunday night when we first announced the Virtual Pastor Network,” said Rev. Marian Edmonds-Allen, Executive Director of Parity, the sponsor of the network. “The opportunity to help people right now is important. Pastors care, and people need comfort and prayer.”
Volunteers are matched with individuals requesting a pastor. All religions, faiths and spiritualities are welcome to participate for a virtual prayer and / or a compassionate conversation. Participants can connect through zoom, email, phone – any virtual medium, anywhere. Pastors from as far away as Kenya have signed up to volunteer.
Volunteers may sign up at onlinefaithcollective.org/virtualpastor, or request a pastor here.
The Virtual Pastor Network is an expansion of the Online Faith Collective, which shares online worship services of all faiths during COVID-19 precautions. To share a service or find a service, visit OnlineFaithCollective.org.
The Virtual Pastor Network and the Online Faith Collective are projects of Parity, a national nonprofit based in NYC that promotes faith and equality for all people.
###
Contact
Rev. Marian Edmonds-Allen
[email protected]
801-452-3674
