Opening Church Buildings

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The Assembling Ourselves In A Covid-19 World
Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25
24 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. [1]
            For a number of weeks now we have been meeting via Facebook instead of in person for worship. While we can do the externals of worship i.e.. singing, praying, and preaching. There is still something missing. All the externals are present, but the internals of worship are missing. And indeed, will remain missing until we meet in person again. Now I realize that meeting is impossible, to assure everyone safely and that we don’t spread this virus from spreading because of our worship together.
            This is not the first time in our nations history that churches have closed down due to a pandemic. In the pandemic of 1918 through 1919 houses of worship were closed. Not having Facebook, Zoom or other media platforms left the faithful with no options. We must get back to a “new normal” soon in order to the true experience of corporate worship.
            In the scripture I picked for this piece the writer of Hebrews urges us not to neglect meeting together. The writer of Hebrews could not imagine the technology that we have to bring church to the people. But I think he would be disappointed by the way we seem to be so comfortable watching worship lying on a couch in our pajamas.
            It seems to me that we must make an extra effort to encourage one another while we are apart. The extent of our love must reach beyond sitting staring at our phones or tablets. We must be intentional about loving our neighbor. We must engage our neighbors in acts of loving kindness. And we ought to do so much more as we see the day approaching.
            While our church leaders develop a plan to reopen the doors of the church building, we must practice being the church in the community. We must never lay down and rest, but we should encourage one another in acts of love and good deeds. Let us pray for those in leadership as they seek how to safely reopen our church buildings. Until then let us pray that we will be the church in the world.

[1] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Heb 10:24–25.

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