Hello,
Yesterday we re-began in person worship.
It was a wonderfully sunny and cool morning. The squirrels were playing on the telephone pole. The birds took their place in the trees, singing us in. We worshipped outside on our side lawn, as we plan to do all summer, weather permitting. A couple of the high school boys painted a 4’x8’ sign that said, “Christ Has Risen. Alleluia. So Have We.” Gathering outside on a beautiful day was a great rejuvenation of the Spirit that brings us together, and a great witness to the world around us of the hope in Christ that arises out of the turmoil of life.
As an extra precaution of starting up again, we asked that everyone wear a mask, and they did. In this time of mask wearing, you have probably noted what I have noted. First, you can’t always tell who someone is when they are wearing a mask. Those facial features that carry the individual characteristics of a person are hidden, and when encountering someone you have to study carefully the characteristics that one can see to asses who it is….and even then, sometimes you are left wondering. The other thing about masks is that a person’s facial expressions are covered up. Smiles. Frowns. Pursed lips. Without those facial features, it clouds the encounters that we have, and sometimes makes them confusing.
So, we all wore our masks through the entire service (except for me when I preached in order to be more audible). And as I looked out at the congregation it was with a hindered connection….were they with me….how were they feeling about what I was saying….work they awake? Alas, at least for the time being, this fogginess in relating will be part of our lives together for the sake of the care of the most vulnerable amongst us.
If you have been catching our virtual worship services on-line, you know that we always finish our worship services with the singing of the Benediction, a rendition that was written by Michael Card. Pre-virus, I would sing it once, blessing the congregation. Then the congregation would join me in the second time, giving me my needed blessing from the Lord. And then the third time we would sing it, the congregation would turn to the center aisle, and sing it to each other…..blessing each other.
Well, since the virus, I have been singing it alone, albeit three times, hopefully drawing people into the memory of our mutual blessings pre-virus. Not being certain of the risk of congregational singing, even with masks, we decided to refrain from congregational singing for a while, which meant that yesterdayI soloed the benediction…the first time, the second time, and the third time. But, I decided to be a bit rebellious yesterday, and before I sang the benediction the third time, I paused and said, “Let’s be a bit risky, and pull your masks off of your faces for just a few seconds, and look at each other as I sing.”
And the people did…every one of them. And when they did, you could see the smiles. You could see those characteristics that pronounce who we are. You could feel a rise in the Spirit, and a tethering of Christ’s love between us.
It all reminded me of the Apostle Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians, “But now we see in a mirror dimly, but then we shall see (Christ) face to face.” Seeing the joy erupt in seeing one another face to face, opened my heart to the joy that awaits me….and you….when faith will become sight, and we will see him face to face.
Have a great week.
God’s grace and peace, (ggap)
Pastor Jerry Nuernberger
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