Getting Ready to Gather Again

As we anticipate returning to in-person worship services at Goshen in the near future (potentially in July… not sure yet… we’ll keep you posted…), let me say a few words to help us form a shared mindset about regathering.  It’s important to think over not just the practical “what” questions about reopening, but also some heart-searching “how” questions:  How can we focus our attitudes and expectations on the honor of Christ, the encouragement of one another, and the effectiveness of our witness?

But before I go further, let me link to the Elders’ June 12 message (about returning to in-person worship) and survey (seeking your input on certain key issues):  click HERE.  If you haven’t read this letter and responded to the survey, please do so.

It’s no secret that there’s a wide range of opinion about re-gathering in church worship services.  This image recently made the rounds on social media—good humor, and yet there’s more than humor here:

Let’s step back and do what’s always best when we’re seeking God’s direction together for his church:  turn to Scripture.  I’ll point to key texts under a few key headings.

We value gathering as a church family.  So the necessary social distancing to slow the spread of Covid-19 has been HARD to take; quarantine has been a heavy burden!  Of course, we also embrace Jesus’ commission to scatter into our workplaces and neighborhoods where we can be his salt and light in the world (Matthew 5:13-16).  But the scattered flock needs to gather together on a regular basis; neglecting fellowship is spiritually hazardous (Hebrews 10:25).  Our online connections these past months have been helpful in certain ways (and a big thank you to all who’ve had a part in this), but it’s also fair to say that digital church is “less than ideal.”  So we’re eager to return to in-person fellowship—to say the least!

We want to gather safely.  Here we have in mind not only our own safety (i.e., the physical health of all who would attend our services), but also the well-being of those with whom we have contact outside of church.  If we come together in a careless manner and spread Covid-19 to each other and then transmit it in our workplaces and area businesses, we’re putting other people in harm’s way.  And that, of course, is quite the opposite of loving neighbors (Luke 10:25-37).  So, when we gather, it will be urgent, for example, to make sure we’re in good health before coming; if in doubt, stay home.  And when we gather, it will be crucial to observe helpful measures to reduce the possibility of spreading this virus.  More on this below.

We respect civil government.  In Romans 13:1-7 believers are taught that government is God’s idea and it’s fitting for Christians to obey the law.  Now, to be sure, there can be times when governing authorities reject God’s design of ruling for the “good” (Romans 13:4) and instead seek to compel people to defy the King of Kings, and on such occasions followers of Jesus need to echo Peter and John and say, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).  But the imposition of stay-at-home orders and social distancing due to Covid-19 is not such a case.  In this situation it’s generally been true that government has sought to fulfill its rightful responsibility to safeguard the public.  And we’re continuing to look to federal, state, and county authorities for guidance on gathering as a church.

We think in terms of the needs of others.  “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).  Living as the body of Christ means adopting Jesus’ mindset of “others first” (v 5).  So the question to be asking about returning to church is not just, “Is it going to be the way I like it?” but “How can I be helpful to others in this situation?”  Let’s all join together and ask the Lord to help us establish this Christ-like attitude in all of our hearts.

I really appreciate Brett McCracken’s recent article, “Don’t Let the Coronavirus Divide You,” in which he says, “Someone might find it personally difficult—even maddening—to have to wear a mask during church and stay six feet away from everyone at all times. You might think these precautions are a needless overreaction. But here’s the thing: even if it turns out you’re right, can you not sacrifice your ideal for a season, out of love for others who believe the precautions are necessary?  Even if you personally think it is silly, or even cowardly, for someone to stay home even after the church is open again on Sundays, can you not heed Paul’s wisdom in Romans 14: ‘Let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother’?”

Then McCracken comes at the topic from the other side:  “Likewise, those who think the lockdowns should continue should not pass judgment on those who question the wisdom of the government’s ongoing restrictions.  Churches should strive to honor people on both sides of the spectrum.”  In this way, we adopt the “others first” attitude—and not just others who think the same way we do:  being realistic means anticipating a wide range of preferences about when and how to gather again (including those related to temperament, politics, health, age, etc.).

Which brings us to the question of masks, face coverings.  Our plan is to require masks inside our buildings when we gather again.  In Pennsylvania (now during the yellow phase, and in the green phase to come), “Masks are required when entering a business.”  On this basis, it makes sense to set the same standard for gatherings in our church buildings.

The federal government, via the CDC, also affirms the value of wearing masks:  “We now know from recent studies that a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms (“asymptomatic”) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (“pre-symptomatic”) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms.  This means that the virus can spread between people interacting in close proximity—for example, speaking, coughing, or sneezing—even if those people are not exhibiting symptoms.  In light of this new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies)…”

Key Point:  The big idea behind wearing masks is, “My mask protects you; your mask protects me.” You wear a face covering over your mouth and nose for the sake of others.  So when someone says, “I’m not going to wear a mask, I’ll just risk it,” they’re just not grasping the issues; they’re not seeing how their practice actually presumes to put the health of other people at risk.  The CDC says, “Cloth face coverings are meant to protect other people in case the wearer is unknowingly infected but does not have symptoms.”  Others first.

I’m reminded of the beautiful litany of “one another” passages in the New Testament:  Let love for your brothers and sisters shape your attitude as we come to this important turning point at Goshen.  Take Colossians 3:12-14, for example: “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.  And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”

So back to our Covid-19 face coverings:  I know it’s unpleasant to breathe through a mask (and fog up your glasses).  And we’d all rather see each other’s face in full when we meet face-to-face—no doubt.  But given the fact that Covid-19 is still out there, and in light of guidance from public health authorities, and given our desire to serve and care for one another, masks make sense. So let’s take this as an opportunity to flex a bit, put others first, and step forward in faith.  The Lord is among us; Jesus Christ is building his church.  And this surprising season is a time in which he is changing hearts and shaping souls in vital ways.  So let’s embrace it, and see how he leads and provides!

And yet, even as I say these things, I know that not everyone should come back when we first reopen.  Many who are elderly or have health issues or face other challenges may need to stay home.  To these loved ones:  “We will miss you!”  And we also say, “We understand and respect your decision.”

Katie Faris has wise words we can all take to heart about the need of some to stay home.  Her husband is a pastor, but three of their five children have serious health conditions, so she’ll be staying home when church reopens.  She encourages church members to “pray and reach out” to those who won’t be sitting in their regular pew when church reconvenes; send a text, make a call, and help those in quarantine to stay close to their church family.

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).