Sitting in a meeting of men at church recently it occurred to me that simple matters in life have changed during the Covid-19 era. The meeting was what is known as a “deacons meeting”. The sole issue to be discussed was; when and how do we go about returning to worship service “as normal”. “Normal”, I thought- “what is normal now”. For the past weeks in April and May 2020 the small rural church I attend, and love have met in what has recently become known as a “drive up service”. Think of the old “drive in movies” of the past except with preaching. This thinking outside the box and having worship with my brothers and sisters in Christ pleases me. It characterizes our resolve to move forward in the face of adversity and continue those things we truly “believe in” and cherish.
But return to normal? Is this a past thought or reality? Our Heavenly Father only knows.
This really hit me when one of my best friends and fellow servant at our small church made this comment: “We (including his wife) have ALWAYS instructed our children to hug and greet those who are elderly as a sign of respect and now we are telling them not to come in close contact with people”. In the South a friendly hug or handshake is common, especially at family and church gatherings. Now it seems to be taboo. Covid has become a game-changer with local Southern hospitality.
While I don’t pretend to know the if, when or how this ordeal will end; I can say we will persevere. Our close-knit gathering of local believers in Christ will continue to focus our gaze on Jesus and uplift our fellow man. It is who we are though how we go about this may change-a little!
