At our last council meeting the council decided that beginning in June, we will move our worship indoors aside from the last Sunday of the month when we will worship together at drive-in church.  For many, this is very exciting news. Some have been longing to return to “normal” for quite some time and this is just one more movement in that direction.  For others, this news brings up a lot of questions or worries about safety for themselves, their unvaccinated children, their immunocompromised family or community members.  Some have realized that “normal” was just a constant rat race which led to stress or never seeing the loved ones they live with! 

       As the world begins to transition back to more in person gathering due to the hard work of scientists who developed the vaccines and all those who are administering them, I invite you to take a few moments to reflect upon the last year and what you have learned about yourself, about your community, and about your faith over the course of the pandemic.    

     One of the key things I learned throughout the pandemic is the resiliency of this community.  We figured out new ways to connect with each other, new ways to worship together, and many figured out new technology or tried new spiritual practices.  My prayer for our community as we transition to in person worship is that we don’t forget how flexible, creative, and resilient we are.  I pray we remember some of the things we enjoyed about drive-in church (the honking!) or online worship (worshipping in PJ’s!)  And most importantly, I pray that as we reflect upon this time, it will be clear to you that God’s presence, God’s promise of love and grace, never went anywhere.  God guides and walks with us through every part of our lives.  Let us give thanks for the new ways we’ve encountered that through the past year.  Let us give thanks that God will continue to guide us into the future, too.  

~  Pastor Maria