I would like to take a moment to update you, on behalf of the elders, regarding our approach to COVID. There have been court decisions, political maneuvers, cowardly censorship, obfuscation by the CDC, and of course, more media spin. But for us, in short, nothing’s changed. That is, we continue our same approach of “smart and sane”. We want to treat you as an adult, who is best suited to assess your own “risk matrix”. Therefore we continue to provide the same options for how you might engage in worship at Grace.
No one – absolutely no one – has gotten COVID “just right”. We have all had to make judgment calls, and adjust things along the way. Having said that, I want to commend this church, and how we have navigated this challenge. The Church is meant to be a model to the world, an alternate society, an outpost of heaven, where the shalom of God can be seen and observed. And I think that we have become that kind of model. Not on our own power and wisdom – but by God’s grace, anyone could have looked into Grace Church and observed a wise sanity, an intelligent love operating, that has been absent in our world. Perfect? Of course not. But directionally speaking, I’m grateful for the grace that God has given Grace in this season, to be a model to our world.
It is not over. Each of you continues to make decisions daily based on your own matrix of risks, as you should. Having said that, I would encourage everyone, as you assess your own risks, to consider now adopting a “bias to return”. To put this another way: don’t include your enjoyment of the comforts of being home on Sunday, with a delicious breakfast, on your couch, in your jammies, as part of your “risk matrix”. The command of God is this: at your earliest opportunity, according to your own matrix of risks, worship with the people of God:
Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Note from this passage:
- We are to meet together. TV church at home is not meeting “together”.
- Neglecting to meet with the church gathered can become less of a decision, and more of a habit.
- Not meeting, when you can, is neglect of your brothers and sisters. You need them, but they need you – there is some nourishment of encouragement that God will only provide through you. You are missed – in more ways than one!
- Lastly, given the insanity of our times, would you say we are closer to the Day than we were a year ago? With every day that passes, and with every new headline, we see “the Day drawing near”, and we are given another reason to meet together, to nourish one another for the days ahead.
So take on a “bias to return”, out of a duty to love God and neighbor. And we will all continue to seek to be a model of “smart sanity” to our increasingly insane world.
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