“Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”
This phrase is repeated seven times in the Book of Revelation, once to each of the seven churches addressed by John’s letter. May we ask the same question to each of our present Houses of Worship during these pandemic times?
Yes, this global pandemic has shaken our way of life to the core. Every aspect of culture is impacted. Even our faith rituals have been altered dramatically. Authorities directed the faithful to cease gathering in an effort to help combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Although assembly restrictions have eased, many regular religious practices remain constrained. No matter what laws or regulations are put into place, one thing cannot be restricted: The Holy Spirit. Therefore, let us repeat that ancient prophetic reminder from Revelation, “Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”
Each faith community is responding in different ways to how to continue proclaiming God’s message in these challenging times. One thing is certain: We cannot minister in the ways we have traditionally done so in the past. The Spirit is telling us to find alternative ways to share the Good News.
Our congregation resumed gathering for Sunday worship on Father’s Day in an entirely different setting. Rather than gather in the sanctuary, we have been holding outdoor drive-in worship services, allowing safe social distancing. We are thankful our summer worship attendance has matched the numbers of the pre-pandemic summer of the previous year. Additionally, we have also added social media tools to allow visual worship to take place, resulting in remote participation greater than in-person worship. The Spirit moved us to find new ways to worship our Lord.
We are continuing to listen to what the Spirit is saying to our church. Beginning Reformation Sunday, October 25, we will resume celebrating the Eucharist by providing individual hermetically sealed pre-filled bread & wine communion sets.
With continued assembly restrictions placed upon Houses of Worship, we are compelled to find alternatives to minimize large gatherings. Our congregation has decided to offer two Sunday worship services to ensure we can continue to proclaim the Gospel for the faithful. Beginning Sunday, November 22, we will begin a 9:15 AM half-hour spoken Holy Communion liturgy inside the sanctuary. At 10:30 AM a half-hour “Service of the Word” liturgy will be held outdoors (weather permitting) with FM transmission, enabling worshipers to remain comfortable and safe within their parked vehicles. We invite you to listen to what the Spirit is saying to you this Sunday, October 11 at 10:00 AM. Join us for our drive-in worship, and tune in to 100.1 FM from your car or set up your personal lawn chair in a grassy area (“socially-distanced,” of course). Anyone with an ear, come and listen!