Local Religious Leaders Help Members Cope

The gulf war has placed a new burden on Orange County church and synagogue leaders, who must cope with scared, unsettled congregants searching for answers to impossible questions.

“We’re trying to deal with the moral question: Is it right for us to kill? Is there any answer to the issue of war?” said the Rev. John McReynolds, pastor of the Second Baptist Church of Santa Ana. A special prayer meeting was held at the church Wednesday night. “Some people call me and ask me about Islam. . . . Who was their leader, does the doctrine of Islam call for this? I’ve had to read up.”

McReynolds and others are struggling to meet the spiritual needs of their congregations by scheduling additional prayer services and counseling sessions, and by trying to stake out a position on the war that offers some guidance to both those who oppose it and those who support it.

For McReynolds--a self-described “conservative” black minister whose congregation includes both opponents of the war and families with members in the military--striking a balance is not easy.

“Regardless of what spectrum you’re on, the fact of the matter is that we have human beings, members of our fellowship that are there, and they need our support and our compassion,” McReynolds said. “We’re trying to get people to think about what they feel and why, so they have a foundation to intelligently think about and discuss it. We’re in a Rambo mood, but Rambo is not there. Rambo is a movie. Rambo doesn’t really die.”

Rabbi Allen Krause of Temple Beth El in Laguna Niguel said he expects a larger congregation today as Sabbath services begin.

“We just have to give each other support,” Krause said. “We have to do whatever we can as Americans and Jews to support the efforts of our country and be there for Israel. We will continue to pray for a speedy resolution. That’s about all we can do.”

The Church of Religious Science in Huntington Beach has called in professional counselors to be available to congregation members concerned about the war. It has also scheduled special meditations each morning and evening, and is keeping its sanctuary open 24 hours a day.

“Our services are all going to be very reflective and contemplative,” said the Rev. Pat Moyer. “These are very difficult times for all of us.”

At St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, pastors have received numerous requests for prayer services, and a board meeting Wednesday night included a prayer for the innocents in the gulf--Iraqi and non-Iraqi alike, said Associate Pastor Bill Flanagan.

“We prayed for Iraqi families, women and children,” Flanagan said. “We prayed that the bombing would in fact deal with military facilities, not homes.”

A multidenominational prayer service will be held Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at the Episcopal Church of the Messiah at 614 Bush St. in Santa Ana.