Inching toward normal

Restarting hybrid ministry

The last few weeks have seen yet another shift in the way we are doing ministry. After three weeks of no infections within the congregation, the church board voted to move back into a hybrid form of worship. January 17 was our final online only worship service. 

It was strange to sit down for one last time at my dining room table to livestream. Despite all the challenges that this style of worship posed, it did have the serendipitous benefit of allowing us to connect with people all around the country and overseas. We were even able to involve members of our church who had moved away following retirement. Virtual worship will never replace the intimacy of face to face gatherings in the sanctuary, but I am incredibly proud of how hard the members of our church worked to provide recorded music, liturgies, and take-home Advent kits for those who were unable to join us due to technological limitations. 

We are now in a hybrid stage of worship. On January 24, many members of the church were able to greet each other face to face for the first time in two months. We continue to operate at reduced capacity with social distancing measures in place. Elders and deacons wear masks and gloves while serving and communion is served in individual cups. 

Online streaming continues and efforts are made to directly involve the portion of the congregation who is participating from afar. People are asked to contribute prayer requests and thoughts on the sermon text. Volunteers help facilitate the Facebook Live chat. It is not perfect by any means, but has allowed those at home to remain a part of the ongoing worship life of the congregation.

Light on the horizon

In addition to worship, other activities are beginning to reappear on the church calendar. The Tuesday morning prayer group is now meeting in-person. The board and elders are no longer exclusively meeting electronically. Exercise classes and community groups that utilize our space have resumed gathering. Sunday school even started back this Sunday.

All of these changes have taken place against the backdrop of the vaccine rollout. Despite the uneven implementation that plan, the fact of the matter is that people in our congregation are beginning to receive the first dose of the inoculation. A small handful have already received the second round. The last week has even brought decreased infections in Stoddard County. For the first time in a while, there seems to be some real good news to celebrate. 

Resiliency throughout an uncertain present

We still have a long way to go before we are back to “normal.” In fact, I am sure that we will never return to exactly the way things were before the pandemic arrived in Dexter. Many things have changed over the past year, some temporarily, some permanently. Businesses have closed. Others have opened. People have changed jobs. Others have reevaluated their priorities and developed new patterns.

It would be hubris to pretend that any of us know what comes next. We can look at trends. We can examine history. We can make guesses. We can learn to ask better questions. Most importantly, we can learn to be humble and flexible. The immediate future will certainly be different. The second and third order effects of the pandemic will continue to make themselves felt for years to come. 

The last twelve months have taught me to hold things loosely. None of us are in control. We may have varying degrees of influence on a particular situation, but ultimately the world is bigger than us. None of us can do this on our own. Our individual plans, hopes, and abilities will always fall short. 

This is why I am so grateful for the ways people in our church and our community have gone out of their ways to remain connected and mutually supported. Thank you all for your witness and compassion, especially in moments where I was tired, frustrated, and angry at the world. You have kept me going through this past year, and I pray that we will all be brave enough to continue to rely on each other through whatever this time of transition brings.