Until we approach standing room only, we should plan, labor, serve, and worship as one church.  There may come a day when we grow to a point that requires a second service (I welcome that problem), but even then the better solution would be to build a bigger church.

Paul and Peter asked us to greet each other with a holy kiss, not an emoji! Much of our life changes have involved a reduction in proximity and contact, and the lack of hugs and handshakes has certainly harmed our mental health. We must unlearn some of the social distancing habits that have crept into our daily living. This of course does not apply for those who's health is especially at risk and still requires protection and there is nothing wrong with continuing with frequent hand sanitization. But the rest of us need the benefits of human contact that we have been missing over the last few months and continuing to keep a pew's length from one another will make it difficult to connect with each other and those we meet.

We went over four months without an in-person service, meeting, or event, and most of us have been using Zoom, GoToMeeting, FaceTime, Duo and who knows what else in our work and family lives, too. We can be thankful to Pastor, Marcia, the Reisors, Beth, and Gail for making the Divine Services available in audio and video so we could at least share that, but there is a danger of growing too accustomed to only remotely connecting with the church. It's good in a pinch and when there is no alternative, but the communion is clearly incomplete without our fellow saints. 

It is important to recognize that some changes have been beneficial and should be preserved.  Pastor Colageo and Gail were already providing audio of the sermons online, so our church did not miss a beat, and soon the Reisors and Beth added video shared on YouTube and Facebook.  It is worth considering if we should maintain video sharing of our Church life—does that provide needed access to our members? Is it a viable way for us to evangelize?  There may not be a lot of internal pressure for a digital presence now, but the world has adopted Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter to communicate so we should not cede that field.

Handwashing, sneeze covering, surface sanitizing, and isolating the ill and vulnerable may have been a habit from before the pandemic, but we have taken it to another level.  There is certainly nothing wrong with continuing an increased focus on preventing the spread of all of the illnesses that have bothered us before and will continue to.  Even a cold can keep us out of church.

Reviewing how the pandemic began and how it pressured and controlled our modes of worship is also worthwhile.  I am sure that court cases will continue concerning the limits of its power and our church should press for and support the LCMS to argue for our First Amendment rights.  We should also take time for a risk assessment to identify any other new and unexpected threat.  It is clear that those who oppose or are ambivalent toward religion will take advantage of crises so we must be prepared to maintain our rights at the same time we address whatever the crisis is.

Immanuel Lutheran Church has done a great job of acting and reacting to the coronavirus.  It is clear that our members and leaders have a strength and resilience promised by God (Isaiah 41:10).  We will have more changes and reactions ahead, and new challenges and opportunities, but we already know how the story ends!  Hallelujah!