Pastor’s Perspective 10-13-2020

Though I usually try to focus on one main thought in this column, I need to communicate with you about several things on my mind this week.

I know some of you are anxious to start meeting again in person for Sunday School on Sunday mornings. We’re just not there yet. We have only recently ramped up various choirs and Fam WHAM on Sunday and Wednesday evenings. We are assuming additional risk in doing so and are continuing to take all appropriate precautions. I don’t know of any church anywhere holding Sunday School or its equivalent on location, no doubt out of an abundance of caution for the health of its members. We do not have the capability to safely accommodate Sunday School classes on Sunday morning. And we don’t want to be the church in the news on quarantine because of an outbreak at church because we were pushing the envelope. I understand the need and the desire to be together in person and fully support classes that are meeting at other times during the week to meet those needs.

At the same time, we continue to hold two worship services on Sunday morning. In person attendance is gradually increasing though we are well below 50% capacity and are socially distanced. We are beginning to see visitors show up in person in both services in recent weeks. I’m sure they are looking for a way to connect with God and His people. They need to experience the warm welcome that is part of our DNA. In these days of COVID, we come in, we worship, and we leave avoiding unnecessary contact. I am asking those of you who worship in person to be sensitive to any visitors you might see. Please make an effort to speak to them and welcome them. They need that personal touch from us.

I have heard a few concerns about children present in worship being potentially distracting. If we don’t have a place for young families in our worship services, we have a problem. Young children need to see their parents worship and experience intergenerational worship in and with the body of Christ. They may make a little noise or be a little fidgety. I’d rather have a church filled with noisy kids than empty pews filled with silence.

Finally, be sure to take note of the progress we are making toward meeting our 2020 Vision Phase One goal of $1.5M. We are over halfway there! See you Sunday!

~ John