How Black churches survived 2020
Curtis Bunn
Black churches have certainly not been spared from the incalculable loss from the coronavirus pandemic.
Churches have long been a haven for Black communities, as places for spiritual nourishment, social connection, community organizing. But with the pandemic hitting Black populations disproportionately, communities are reeling from the loss of pastors and other faith leaders.
The deaths have tested churches' resolve while expanding their imagination about how to function during and, eventually, after the pandemic.
"Covid-19 for the Black church has been devastating," said the Rev. Eric George Vickers, lead pastor of the historic Beulah Baptist Church in Atlanta. "Church is community for us. It's the place for spiritual guidance, social awareness, home training, encouragement, you name it. The loss this year can't be properly explained or expressed. It can only be experienced."