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We are now entering the month of October 2020. What a year it has been. I
would bet that no one had this kind of year figured into your 5 year plan.
It is now 6 months since the “harbor in place” order was placed on Illinois
residence. That order set us scrambling to figure out ministry in a quite
different world. In July, we resumed meeting in the church building, as the
order was lifted, but many of you have not been able to join us yet for
various reasons.
This “Anniversary” gives us an opportunity to look back over the last few
months and make some observations. Here are some things that we have
learned from this year:
1) A Church building is a luxury. In March, as the “harbor in place” order
came down, we quickly had to figure out how to continue ministry
without the ability to gather together in a Church building. It was the
ability to continue to be the Church in spite of not having a building in
which we could gather that identified the building as a luxury. By luxury,
I mean something that is nice to have, but is not absolutely necessary for
the continuation of our mission.
2) Ministry can continue even when you can’t gather together. Not only
did worship go online, but various Bible studies, meetings, Connection
Groups, and gatherings transitioned online. But beyond that I’ve been
hearing of phone calls that members have made to check-in on one
another, and acts of service being performed, including a roofing
project.
3) We still need one another. Six months is a long time to be isolated, even
for an introvert like me. I admit I miss seeing you all face-to-face, and
sharing hugs with you. Yet, it is good that the technology of our time has
allowed us to remain connected, even if we can’t be with one another.
4) There is more to outreach than inviting people to a building. We have
seen opportunities to partner with others in meeting community needs,
and inviting the community to join us in meeting other needs. Our
community admires churches that reach beyond their walls that way.