“Be still and know that I am God.”
This line from Psalm 46 is both a comfort and a challenge as efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 have left us all incredibly unsure about what’s next. Everything seems to be in motion, and far too fast for our tastes. One day the CDC says that groups over 50 must not meet together and the next day they adjust their recommendations downward to gatherings of 10. Then quickly falling on the heels of that announcement, out comes word that there should be no gatherings of any kind, even when practicing social distancing. I don’t know about you but my head is spinning, my heart is hurting, and my body aches to hug and be hugged in this time of uncertainty, anxiety, loss, and fear.
Like many of you, being still is not my strong suit. The invitation now, like it or not, is to investigate this territory we didn’t choose and which is fraught with so much uncertainty. We are literally in Lent now, in the wilderness, in the season of shadows, in a time of being unsure where God is exactly. Some of us even wondering how and if God will show up. All I can say is this: thank heavens we’re going through all this as spring unfurls herself here in the northern hemisphere. Signs of growth in the natural world encourage us in ways little else can.
Watch your mailbox for a letter I sent out on Wednesday outlining some of things Leadership and I will be doing in the coming days and weeks. You should know that no sooner than I sent it, parts of the letter were obsolete—including Leadership’s decision to suspend all in-person gatherings until after Easter. Just this morning, the Rocky Mountain Conference Board of Directors asked churches to extend this period of not meeting in person through the month of April; they even asked to anticipate being directed to being apart even longer. Leadership will stay on top of all this and will keep you apprised.
In the coming days and weeks, I want to urge you to rely more heavily than usual on social media and email. Why? Because even if we were to send a letter every day, by the time it arrived it would likely be outdated in some way. That’s just how quickly things are changing. Some of the church emails and social media postings will be informative, sometimes they’ll include links to helpful resources, and sometimes they’ll invite your responses. Please DO respond when invited to do so.
While Leadership and I make every effort to be in steady contact with you, please reach out to one another in whatever ways feel most right to you. Here is a link to our latest roster of members and friends. Print it out and use it often.
In the works are plans to meet by phone and online; stay tuned. Even though we can’t hug, seeing each other and hearing each other’s voices will surely be balm for our now-sequestered souls.
Perhaps a gift to come from the pandemic is that Christians near and far will come to discover in new and beautiful ways that we don’t just go to a church, we don’t simply belong to a congregation, but that together we ARE the church. Let us be open to the ways the Spirit is inviting us to be the church in this unprecedented time.
With you on the journey—especially this one!
