Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/city/story.html?id=3b3bade9-b3ed-477b-87d0-257854dd08a2
Faith groups urged to fight pandemics
Graeme Morton, Calgary Herald
Published: Saturday, April 26, 2008
Marg Pollon knows her particular spiritual calling can be a lonely road.
Pollon has been urging faith communities in Calgary to make plans to play important, supportive roles in battling any major global pandemic.
But when talk of bird flu or a similar medical threat disappears from the daily headlines for long stretches, such a potential disaster goes out-of-sight, out-of-mind.
"I do feel like Noah sometimes," Pollon says with a smile. "When I talk about pandemic preparedness, peoples' eyes can glaze over."
But Pollon soldiers on, convinced that Christian churches and their congregations can carry out vital work side-by-side with medical authorities should such a modern plague land on our collective doorsteps.
"It would be a living demonstration that the Christian message is authentic," says Pollon, who runs the Bridges of Love ministry. "My goal has always been to get churches out of their buildings and into their communities."
Pollon is the key organizer of a two-day conference of pandemic preparedness, set for May 14 to 15 at Rocky Mountain College, 4039 Brentwood Rd. N.W.
She's hoping representatives of many city churches will attend to see where their congregation might fit into a master pandemic plan.
"Churches can do a lot more than offer pastoral care and host funerals," Pollon reasons. "If large numbers of people fall ill, who is going to give medications to seniors, deliver food to shut-ins and offer child care when parents are sick?
"Churches already have the internal networks and grassroots connections to their neighbourhoods. Some are set up to host people by being involved in Inn from the Cold. Others have great kitchen systems to prepare food. It's about finding your best niche."
Pollon says a key issue is getting area churches talking to each other to make sure service duplication is limited. And while a pandemic's probability remains low, its impact could be devastating.
"And if it never comes, we will have still built these networks and connections between churches and their communities," says Pollon.
"We've been lucky in Calgary in that we haven't had a lot of emergencies or disasters in recent years. But that doesn't mean it can't happen here."
More information and registration is available online at www.bridges oflove.net or by calling Pollon directly at 263-5683.
gmorton@theherald.canwest.com
Faith groups urged to fight pandemics
Graeme Morton, Calgary Herald
Published: Saturday, April 26, 2008
Marg Pollon knows her particular spiritual calling can be a lonely road.
Pollon has been urging faith communities in Calgary to make plans to play important, supportive roles in battling any major global pandemic.
But when talk of bird flu or a similar medical threat disappears from the daily headlines for long stretches, such a potential disaster goes out-of-sight, out-of-mind.
"I do feel like Noah sometimes," Pollon says with a smile. "When I talk about pandemic preparedness, peoples' eyes can glaze over."
But Pollon soldiers on, convinced that Christian churches and their congregations can carry out vital work side-by-side with medical authorities should such a modern plague land on our collective doorsteps.
"It would be a living demonstration that the Christian message is authentic," says Pollon, who runs the Bridges of Love ministry. "My goal has always been to get churches out of their buildings and into their communities."
Pollon is the key organizer of a two-day conference of pandemic preparedness, set for May 14 to 15 at Rocky Mountain College, 4039 Brentwood Rd. N.W.
She's hoping representatives of many city churches will attend to see where their congregation might fit into a master pandemic plan.
"Churches can do a lot more than offer pastoral care and host funerals," Pollon reasons. "If large numbers of people fall ill, who is going to give medications to seniors, deliver food to shut-ins and offer child care when parents are sick?
"Churches already have the internal networks and grassroots connections to their neighbourhoods. Some are set up to host people by being involved in Inn from the Cold. Others have great kitchen systems to prepare food. It's about finding your best niche."
Pollon says a key issue is getting area churches talking to each other to make sure service duplication is limited. And while a pandemic's probability remains low, its impact could be devastating.
"And if it never comes, we will have still built these networks and connections between churches and their communities," says Pollon.
"We've been lucky in Calgary in that we haven't had a lot of emergencies or disasters in recent years. But that doesn't mean it can't happen here."
More information and registration is available online at www.bridges oflove.net or by calling Pollon directly at 263-5683.
gmorton@theherald.canwest.com