Friends in Christ:
Few of us imagined, back in March, that we would still be living with the realities of the Coronavirus Pandemic in October. When I look around me in Massachusetts, I see most of my neighbors dutifully wearing their masks. I see students, parents, and teachers doing their best to adapt to new learning environments. I see nurses, doctors, and other medical staff feeling tired but never ceasing to give their patients the best care. I see neighbors who rarely spoke before exchanging friendly greetings on the sidewalk. And I see people of faith digging deep into what worship really means and how God is present in the midst of crisis. This has been hard — it still is — and we still have a long way to go.
In Greater Lowell, in Massachusetts, and across the country, we know that the virus is not under control. Medical interventions and understanding have improved, but new cases continue to increase after a summer slowdown. People of all ages continue to suffer and die. Families continue to grieve without the comfort of gathering together.
As a community of faith, Eliot Church remains committed to the two-fold command to love God and love our neighbors. While we long to be together in the sanctuary, a gathering that puts the health of our neighbors at risk would do little to glorify God or honor Jesus Christ’s ministry of healing. With this in mind, the Session has voted to continue virtual worship until April 4, 2021 — Easter Sunday. While this seems like a long way off, the Session trusts the leading of the Holy Spirit and hopes this decision will provide clarity to our members and allow our leaders to plan appropriately for the many facets of congregational ministry.
Despite our long physical absence from one another there are some things we can do together to maintain and even strengthen our sense of community:
- Engage whole-heartedly in our Zoom worship, and invite others to do the same. Turn on your camera, even if your hair is a mess; make sure your name is displayed correctly and use this opportunity to put names and faces together; use the chat feature to greet other worshippers; volunteer to sing, share a testimony, or be a liturgist. If you would like help learning to use Zoom, contact Eric Doss at erichdoss@gmail.com.
- Prepare for the Lord’s Supper. We will continue to celebrate the Lord’s Supper on the first Sunday of each month. Watch the video on preparing the Lord’s Supper at home. Make sure you have bread and juice, and set your table before worship begins.
- Join me in morning prayer on Eliot’s Facebook page at 10 a.m. Monday-Friday.
- Join a small group, or start one. Several small groups are meeting virtually including a men’s group, Christian Women’s Fellowship, an English-language Bible Study, and a Khmer-language Bible Study. If none of these interest you, start your own — maybe a book group, current events discussion, parenting club, or support group. Contact Pastor Heather to help you get started and invite others.
- Watch for news about Advent and Christmas. In late November, you will receive materials for a church-wide observance of Advent. Please participate! The worship committee and Session are still making decisions about Christmas Eve worship and will communicate options as soon as possible.
I know we are all disappointed about the ways the Coronavirus has upset our hopes for 2020. We are exhausted from the constant uncertainty. We are grieved by the many losses of this year. Still, we remember the words of Paul to the Christians in Corinth: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed . . . because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus.”
I look forward to seeing you each online in the weeks ahead. I remain available by phone, email, text, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram . . . and I’m always happy to sit on a porch or go for a walk. As we continue this journey together, may we know that we go with God who triumphs over every enemy, even death itself.
Pastor Heather