Micah 6:8
1 Corinthians 13:12 Hebrews 10:24-25
Yes, your life matters.
Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?
Here's an interesting bit of TV history. On 24 March 1932, the first religious service was telecast in the US. Ninety years ago, watching worship on a screen in one's home was a new and nearly miraculous thing. Today, it's nearly supplanted actual attendance at worship services in many churches.
I was at a church meeting last night - not via Teams or Zoom, but in person at last! - and this was a topic of conversation. Not because it was on the agenda, but rather because it impinges on so many other things we would want and hope to do as a congregation.
It hardly makes sense to add more worship service times and formats when we currently have a nearly empty sanctuary. Perhaps changing everything, but just adding doesn't seem like a good idea. The other aspect is how hard it is to make connections that would normally be made on Sunday mornings, and those are what lead to involvement in other parts of the church life.
Sunday Schools, Mission Trips, a vast array of outreach and nurturing ministries are being choked off due to lack of awareness - both of their potential existence and of the folks one would meet when coming together for them. It's sad, really. If you're not going in person, you're really missing out.
I know how easy it is to roll out of bed that much later, not have to get the kids ready (or even just get dressed oneself), turn on the computer or smart TV or tablet or phone and "worship" on YouTube. I know because we all had to do that for a while.
But ... as soon as I could be involved in getting those services out I jumped at the chance. Even if there were only four or five of us in the sanctuary or chapel, we were together and the worship was much more real. And it wasn't terribly long before we managed to worship outside around our lovely Memorial Garden. Sure, we were masked in our lawn chairs, but we were together, and the worship was that much more real.
Once we got back to the sanctuary things were even better - except we still have so many of the church family who have gotten out of the habit of meeting together, something that must not be neglected.
Of course, this is pandemic habits riding on the coattails of a larger trend of people's neglecting worship, while still asserting their "spiritual" cred, whatever that might mean. If it doesn't change your behavior, it's probably not real or not important to you. That's a general rule for looking at my own life - if I say something's important, but I don't act like it, if it's not bearing fruit in my life, then I'm only trying to fool you or myself.
Come back to church folks.
This came to mind, but isn't really all that tightly related.
Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our insane lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.
