Dear Friends,
I have been walking around singing the old campfire hymn:
“The church is not a building…
The church is not a steeple….
The church is not a resting place….
The church is the PEOPLE!”
I was reminded of the truth of this little song when I returned to work this week.
We have a great church building. It is beautiful and our sanctuary is such a peaceful, sacred space. But it is not the same without you – without us.
The church is meant to gather. It is meant to be connected.
And yes our online worship is so important and a necessity in these times (again deep gratitude to Pastor Myra and our staff that did all this hard work to make this possible). Online worship will be a fixture in our faith lives for the foreseeable future, but it cannot replace the importance of coming together.
The church is the PEOPLE.
So in the weeks to come, we will be announcing some ways both in person and virtually we can come together.
The first of these in-person gathering opportunities is what we are calling, Small Church.
We will offer three Small Church gatherings in the month of August (8/16, 8/23 & 8/30) for fellowship, sharing, prayer, and communion. They will be held on the front lawn of our church, outdoors, weather permitting at 6:30 pm.
These gatherings will be limited to only 10 people per day and you will need to make a reservation to attend. An email will go out on Monday with all the dates, details, and sign-up options. You can also call Danielle Moody at (248) 541-4100 x1315 if you need help reserving your spot. Pastor Myra or I will be there, along with other staff, so we can see each other, catch up and share the sacrament of communion (with a prepackaged communion set – who knew that such things existed?) But most importantly, we hope these gatherings will offer the kind of support that comes when God’s people gather together.
Remember: in-person gatherings will only be possible if everyone commits to the safety and social distancing guidelines that will be clearly laid out. Together we keep each other safe. No hugs!!!! (I know – it’s killing me!)
We understand that not everyone can or should be gathering, so please do what is right and best for you. Next week we will announce some additional virtual options for us to connect with one another. And if you would like for us to bring communion to you, we would love to do that, just let us know. We are working to find more creative ways to stay connected during this time, so stay tuned as we try new methods, and of course, we are eager to hear your suggestions.
In all times, and especially in these times, the world needs us to be the church.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Jeff