Stay In
Author: Fr. David Bridges
March 25, 2020
Here we are at the “Stay In” learning how to work from home.
Funny how many of us have dreamed of working from home, but now that we are
staying home out of necessity, it may not be as much fun as we thought.
What is most difficult for me is not having “church” the
same as we used to. I go to an empty church building and imagine what it “used
to be like”. Although it has only been a couple of weeks without public
Services, it seems like much longer.
I think I am suffering from grief. David Kessler is the
world’s foremost expert on grief. He explains that humans are grieving the loss
of normalcy, the fear of economic disaster, and the loss of connection. I have
spoken with individuals that are grieving the immediate loss of connection and
dealing with fears of an uncertain future.
At times over the last couple of weeks, I have found myself
feeling as if I am drifting away from what was “normal” to a new and somewhat
confusing way of being. I am concerned about the most vulnerable among us and
finding ways to balance safety with common sense, yet much of what is happening
does not seem to make sense.
Part of me wants to believe we will be back in Church by
Easter. Another part of me is concerned by the reports of increasing cases of
COVID-19, the rising death toll, and the possibility that it will be much
longer before we meet together again.
In the First Century the Body of Christ met in secret;
moving from place to place and staying behind closed doors for fear of the
authorities. The difficulties they faced brought them closer together. Acts
chapter 8 describes how followers of the Way of Christ scattered as a result of
persecution. That scattering opened the door for new believers to hear the
Gospel message.
In this time of “scattering” we have an advantage the early
Christians did not; the internet. We have the ability to stay in contact not
only by text and voice, but by live streaming and face-to-face live chat. If we
use these tools properly, we can stay connected to a large extent.
Perhaps you have been reluctant to join the technology
movement, and now may be the time to sign-on. You could view worship services
and engage in video chats with other believers. You could receive e-mail
updates and participate in on-line studies. We need to embrace new ways of
interacting now and in the future. Let’s stay in-touch.
“May God the Father bless you, God the Son heal you, God the
Holy Spirit give you strength. May God the holy and undivided Trinity guard
your body, save your soul, and bring you safely to his heavenly country; where
he lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.” (BCP 460)
Blessings and Peace to You All,
Fr. David+
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