I went to the Leetsdale Giant Eagle the other day to pick up a few items. There was very little meat and bread, there were no eggs and no doughnuts, and of course, no toilet paper. By now, we are all getting used to the empty shelves we are finding. We have never seen anything like this! In a matter of a few days, this thing has gone from “wash your hands and cover your cough” to a significant lifestyle change that most of us have not experienced in our lifetime.

Here in Allegheny County, we have been ordered to stay in our homes, and only life-sustaining businesses are able to stay open, and even many of those have changed the way they do business. I almost cringe when I hear regular TV broadcasting being interrupted with a “Special News Report.” I wonder “what is next?” There are many unknowns. There is unprecedented territory ahead, and nobody can say how long it might last.

Perhaps the most troubling of all was the thought of canceling worship services. This goes against everything I believe. Now, more than ever, we need the comfort and support of our church family; we need to have our hearts, minds and souls comforted and put at ease in the singing of hymns and praise songs, engaging in prayer collectively, and hearing God’s word proclaimed in the midst of such uncertainty. At a time like this, we need to be in worship!

And yet, we have to acknowledge that “large gatherings” are not safe at this time. We need to do our part in preventing the spread of the Coronavirus. The best way we can do that is to keep people apart.

It’s sad, and it’s painful, but cancelling was the responsible, compassionate thing to do, and anything else would have been just plain irresponsible.

The scriptures remind us over and again—“Do not fear!” This is an important word for us as the news continues to unfold around Covid-19. But the scriptures also do call us to be wise!

It is my prayer that by the time you are reading this, you have already received word that worship is being live streamed. We are also meeting to come up with creative ways to be in ministry.

Please, please, please know I am here for you. You know I have a 24/7 policy. These are anxious and troubling times. If you would like to talk, please give me a call or feel free to text me. You are not alone.

After prayerful consideration, I have given AA permission to continue their meetings. As one member of the group informed me, these meetings are a matter of life and death. They have been instructed that if they meet, they must clean and disinfect the tables, chairs, countertops and anything they come in contact with. Giving them permission to meet is the most compassionate and Christ-like thing we can do. If we are mandated to close, we will comply.

I came across the following via Facebook on how we can be the church when church is cancelled.

Five Ways To Be The Church When Church Is Canceled

1. Support your pastor and staff. And trustees and board members– whoever has to make the really hard decisions about whether and how to gather in times of uncertainty. There is no road map for this, and there is no one, right answer. Trust that the folks who ultimately make the call spent some time in prayer, discernment, and very difficult conversations. Know that they heavily weighed consequences, including your disappointment, and ultimately did what they thought was the best thing for the wellbeing of the community. Thank them for having your best interests at heart, and then…

2. Send in your pledge. This may seem like a small thing in the grand scheme right now, but trust me. It matters that you continue to get your offering in, as long as you are fiscally able. This is a great time to reexamine online giving options, or encourage folks to sign up for automatic withdrawal. Even the healthiest congregations can find themselves in the hole, and quick, after just a few Sundays of missed offerings. If you can’t give online, mail in a check, send a carrier pigeon, do what you have to do. Even if the building is empty, bills and salaries need to be paid; what’s more, you’re helping your church maintain mission commitments to the community in a time when that commitment is more important than ever.

3. Check on your neighbors. Your older neighbors, your neighbor on chemo, your neighbor whose kid relies on free school lunch, your neighbor who still has to go to work and could use help with childcare… Any time you help someone in your proximity, you are living out the values of your faith community. You are embodying what the whole gospel thing is about, which takes church out of the building and brings it to life for others. This is what we go to church to learn how to do– it is “for such a time as this” that you have spent all those other Sundays in worship.

4. Pray for your church family. And send notes. Make phone calls. All the things that we do for shut-ins, do for each other now that we are all shut-ins, so to speak. We are one body, even when that body is not together in the flesh. There are plenty of ways to stay connected in spirit and care for each others’ spiritual needs.

5. Practice Sabbath. For some, this shutdown of life as we know it is going to cause significant economic hardship. In the spirit of #3, care for your neighbor as best as you can. In the meantime, recognize if your own discomfort is just inconvenience, and keep that perspective. Recognize that downtime can be a gift– an imposed Sabbath of time to sit still and be with your family, without the usual rush of places to be and things to accomplish. Read together; prepare meals together (can you share with a neighbor? #3 and repeat); maybe even binge watch some Netflix together. When’s the last time everybody was home for this long? Talk about what you can learn from this season. Talk about your blessings. Play a game. Make something. Listen to music. It really doesn’t matter. Any of these things can be worshipful in their own way, if by “worship” we mean rest and renewal by way of connecting with God and others.

I close with this prayer by Mike Powers, Director of Discipleship, The Francis Asbury Society.

Lord Jesus, we need this quiet moment with You to set our hearts and minds right at the beginning of this not-so-ordinary day. Just a few days ago, life seemed so normal, or at least ordinary. We were organizing our calendars, making plans for special occasions, and anticipating the usual experiences in this season of the year. How quickly life can change, and how suddenly we are confronted with the reality of our mortality. We need You, O Lord, to do for us what we could never do for ourselves. Help us to learn to be content in any and every circumstance: content to trust our lives in your hands – You know the very number of hairs upon our heads; content to leave all our loved ones to your care – your love for them is greater than our own; content to leave in your hands all the causes of truth and justice across the world – our desire for peace is but a shadow of your eternal plan for the salvation of the world; content to live with unanswered prayer – no eye has seen nor ear heard nor has anyone imagined what You are preparing for all who love You. Help us set our hearts and minds on You, Jesus, that your peace may rule our hearts in this not-so-ordinary day and in every kind of day. Amen.

Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Russel

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