2020-08-28 Daily Church Epistle
Darci here. I was
contemplating my remote worship experience and the following psalm verses came
to mind.
Psalm 137:1-4 (CEB)
1 Alongside Babylon’s streams,
there we sat
down,
crying
because we remembered Zion.
2 We hung our lyres up
in the trees
there
3 because
that’s where our captors asked us to sing;
our
tormentors requested songs of joy:
“Sing us a
song about Zion!” they said.
4 But how could we possibly sing
the Lord’s
song on foreign soil?
Now and then COVID-19 has felt like a captor. I am careful of how I expose myself to others
because my husband is in a memory care unit and the whole unit is high risk for
a severe reaction. I have a grandson with
underlying conditions that could make this virus much worse for him. My extra level of caution has caused me to choose
not to worship with members of the congregation in our church sanctuary even
though in-person worship is available now.
My home could feel like “foreign soil” for a worship
experience, yet it has been my main location for worship for quite a long
time.
My husband, Mike, is on a journey with Alzheimer’s
Disease. While he was still living with
me, one struggle we had was Mike not wanting to leave the house on Sunday
morning. Sometimes the church live
broadcast would be available, and I could worship with you from home. Sometimes it would not, but I could still
read the sermons online. With Mike at
home I could not attend Bible study or take part in music ministry very often.
Fast forward to summer of 2019. Mike moved into a memory care home where he
could have 7X24 hour care. At the same
time, my father’s health failed and caused me to miss most Sundays with you
still! I did join a Bible study and even
started leading one before my father ended his earthly journey. The day after his funeral we went into
COVID-19 lockdown.
Was I feeling crazy and frustrated and like my worship
was under attack? Yes, a little
bit. Yet my relationship to God felt
strong.
God provided.
Where the remote worship had been off and on before COVID-19, it now
became solid as an incredible podcast.
We have two different zoom prayer services, Sunday morning at 9:15 and
Wednesday evening at 7:00. I am active
in a Bible study via zoom. I am
participating in music ministry from my home by recording my songs and sending
them in. For the first time in years I
can be on worship committee again! All
because our church leadership has realized we can sing the Lord’s song wherever
we are. We still have our voice.
Of course, I wish there were no pandemic and I was not a
captive in my home. I cannot have that
wish. I choose to focus on the blessing
of being able to sing my songs and worship my Lord from my kitchen table or
even sometimes before getting out of bed since the podcast is posted before I
get up on Sundays. I know we are
reaching people online that would not have found us otherwise. I feel connected and loved by my church
family even though I rarely see anyone face-to-face.
We have expanded worship and grown during this time. Two zoom prayer services, two live services,
a podcast, an emailed sermon, a broadcast on local TV, and good old USPS of the
bulletin and sermon being sent out to those who need it. That makes me think of yet another scripture.
Romans 8:35-39 (CEB)
35 Who will separate us from Christ’s love? Will we be
separated by trouble, or distress, or harassment, or famine, or nakedness, or
danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
We are being put to death all day long for your sake.
We are
treated like sheep for slaughter.
37 But in all these things we win a sweeping victory
through the one who loved us. 38 I’m convinced that nothing can separate us
from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord: not death or life, not angels or
rulers, not present things or future things, not powers 39 or height or depth,
or any other thing that is created.
I could add to that list at the end, not Alzheimer’s and
not COVID-19! We are more than conquerors. We can thrive. God is with us wherever we are.
Wherever you are this day, I hope you feel God’s love
surround you. If you have a connection
to the Internet either from a computer or a smart phone, I hope you consider
joining in worship with us via zoom. The
podcast worship experience is meaningful, and I hope those that do not feel
comfortable gathering in the sanctuary will join me in watching it weekly. If you do not have access to, or are uncomfortable
with technology, make sure to reach out to the church office and get on the
mailing list to receive the sermon and bulletin in your mailbox.
You are reading these words, so you already know about
the Daily Church Epistle!
We are the church.
Nothing can separate us from God’s love.
Our song can be sung to God wherever we are.
Tuesday’s reading in Disciplines was on Moses and the
burning bush. The prayer from that day
speaks to my thoughts so I am going to have us close with it.
God, help me recognize that where I am standing, right
now and in each moment, is holy ground so that I will be ready to hear you call
my name. Amen.
Beams and blessings to you each!
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