CREATE A SACRED SPACE AT HOME

“The church is not a building; the church is not a steeple; the church is not a resting place; the church is a people.” Verse 1 of the hymn “I am the church, you are the church” by Avery & Marsh

At my church, University City United Church, folks have gathered every Sunday for the last 55 years. But starting last Sunday, we are meeting only virtually. Ten of us gathered last week to record the worship service in an empty sanctuary, and I broke down weeping at the end of the worship for church is not a building, it’s the people. Even knowing that people would be watching the worship was not the same as looking out over the pews at the faces of those I know and love.

Since the outbreak of this COVID-19 pandemic, we have been scrambling to figure out how to be the church when we cannot gather. We had not live streamed before. We had not recorded our entire service allowing people to worship from their homes. But times such as these demand that we learn to do a new thing. So we’ve learned how to record and share our worship on social media. We’ve been learning how to “see” one another on Zoom instead of gathering in person. We are hosting “Zoom Coffee Hour” and “Zoom Party Lines” where folks can just call or log in to connect.

We’ve also been mobilizing old school phone trees to connect with some of our less tech savvy older adults who are not on social media.

But more than adapting to all the technical pieces, I have been praying. I have been praying, as the pastor of this church, for God’s strength for the road ahead. I have been praying for wisdom as we move forward into uncharted territory. I’ve been praying that we might remain connected while we are practicing social distancing. I have been praying for our healthcare workers, those on the front lines of this pandemic.

I trust that with God’s strength, we will make it through this time together. I trust that with God’s wisdom, we will figure out ways to thrive in the midst of difficulties. I trust that with God’s love, we will continue to share that love in virtual ways.

While we are all grieving the loss of gathering in person, I have been encouraging people to create sacred space at home. Light a candle. Bring something sacred to focus on — a

I trust that with God’s strength, we will make it through this time together.

cross, a family Bible, a beautiful plant, anything! I encourage children to gather around when we’re worshiping “together” and to make sure they have a coloring book or quiet puzzle so they have something to keep their hands busy while they are listening. I also encourage the children to email me. I have promised to email them back — and pair them with another member of the congregation to serve as their pen pal.

While we are all grieving the loss of gathering in person, I have also been encouraging folks to reach out. Call someone and chat. Send someone a text as you are thinking about them. Send a good old fashioned letter. Video chat with someone near or far. While social isolation can feel very lonely, we can be very intentional about connecting to ease the loneliness.

So whether you belong to a faith community or not, connecting in this time is essential. The chorus of that opening song is “I am the church, you are the church, we are the church together.” In this time, let’s be the church. Reach out. Share God’s love. Connect with others. And trust that you are not alone — especially when it feels like it. Trust that God is with you.