There’s light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel.
Lord willing, by July 4th (based on Governor Scott’s plan) the risk of COVID transmission will be low enough to gather indoors in unlimited numbers without masks or physical distancing. This means we can worship indoors as one church again. It means a return to meals, hugs, handshakes, and unmasked smiles. (Click here for the full explanation of our plan for Sunday worship up to and after July 4th).
But this won’t be as simple as “getting back to normal.” As we move toward July 4th and beyond, there will be anxiety to overcome, old habits to recover, new habits to learn, choices to navigate, and plenty of opportunity to show love in the process.
Let me share four things we need to do in order to lovingly and faithfully navigate the changes ahead:
1. Be Kind
Kindness goes a long way. You may be annoyed that some people continue to wear masks in church after July 4th, or you may feel critical of those who are not wearing masks. You may take offence that someone isn’t ready for a hug, or that someone is trying to hug you! There may simply be tension as we all deal with unnamed anxiety under the surface. Our natural bent is to judge one another, to take offence quickly, and to lack empathy for others. Ask the Holy Spirit to ripen the fruit of kindness instead (Galatians 5:22). True kindness is more than tolerance or non-judgment; it is seeking to understand, love, and serve your brother or sister in Christ.
Also, be kind to yourself! We are all learning as we go. We will make mistakes. We will sometimes not know what to do—and all of that is OK. Don’t judge yourself harshly or expect that you should have it all figured out.
2. Be Open
The path ahead will hold new things, surprises, and changes of plan. So keep an open mind and heart. We need to hold the July 4th date loosely and be open to delays or changes. If you’ve been away from church for a while, you may return to find a new family sitting where you usually sat. If you’ve started attending during the pandemic, you may be surprised by some of the cherished traditions that others want to restart. All of us should recognize that our church is not the same church it was in February 2020. Be open to getting to know new people and dynamics.
Most importantly, be open to what God wants to do. When changes happen, we often crave what is familiar and we look to the past for security. But God’s plans for us aren’t in the past. He is calling us forward as a church. Start praying right now, “Lord, give me an open heart and mind to accept what you have for me and for this church.”
3. Be Intentional
Re-integrating as a church family won’t happen by accident. Let’s intentionally re-kindle friendships and make new ones. Let’s intentionally reach out to those who have been away and invite them back.
If you have been away from church, plan your re-entry. Prayerfully decide when you will return to in-person worship and what you will need for that to happen. If you have compromised health, when will the risk be low enough for you to return? If you were part of a small group, when will it get back together again? If your kids are out of Sunday School, when will they come back?
If we’re not intentional about these decisions, life has a way of deciding for us. Anxiety will decide, “It’s never safe enough to be indoors with a group.” Inertia will decide, “It’s just so convenient to stay home and watch the livestream.” Your schedule will decide, “Now that I’m out of the habit of going to church, I realize that I enjoy doing other things with my Sunday morning.”
Instead, make a decision based on what you know matters most. If you do decide to stay home for a while longer out of health concerns, at least make that choice prayerfully and in conversation with others. Please reach out to me, a deacon, or other members of the church family if you are struggling with these decisions.
The Deacons, Trustees and I will be intentional about the pace at which we return to pre-pandemic life. After July 4th there may still be some socially-distant seating available in the church. We will keep using prepackaged communion for a time. We will come up with a system that each person can use to communicate how much touch they are ready for. (For example: green sticker means, “I’m ready for hugs!” Yellow sticker means, “I’m still keeping a little distance.”) We will be intentional about communicating these kinds of things to the church family.
4. Be Confident in the Lord
Above all, maintain confident trust in the Lord. God has been faithful in the past and he will be faithful in the future. He allowed this pandemic to happen and he has been with us every step of the way. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13) and he is the living Lord of his church. We will falter and stumble in our attempts to move forward, but with our eyes on Jesus, we will not fall.