The pandemic brought all kinds of new ways to experience “church.” The virtual church meant live people were trying to draw you into an experience which simulated what it was like to be in the building.

The few leaders who were there tried to envision those who were watching and sometimes even had the opportunity to see or hear the responses of those viewing “church.”

Scrolling through the responses on Facebook you could get a sense of those who were usually in the pew participating. It was hard to remember, but when we went Hybrid we tried to include those watching by saying those who are here and those who are faithfully watching.

Sometimes we would remember to look at the camera and say “you too are included.” When we finished the service there was the chit chatting and weekly stories for those in attendance, but those who were not there you did not hear from or converse with unless it was a later on a phone call or a shopping sighting.

I am so glad to be back in the sanctuary with old friends and making new ones. The intimacy which was lost over the virtual time is being reestablished, but there is one thing I love about the return to the building that was missed virtually.

That is the mishaps, the trying to regain your composure when the unexpected candle doesn’t light or the expressions and chuckles of the children and adults when something humorous is said.

This last week it was a community experience when the candle wick was too far down to be lit, but the adult supervisor came to the rescue. During virtual church we would probably have left it, but since people were there this supervisor tried to pull the wick up higher.

Instead of half an inch the wick was pulled up about two inches and when it was lit reminded me of the blast off into outer space in Florida. Another person said later it looked like the Holy Spirit had definitely entered the sanctuary like on Pentecost.

This put some of us on edge as the flame continued to burn at triple the size of the other candle. Was it going to run out of fuel first or was someone going to accidentally brush by it with paper and hand and we would witness the reason why we shouldn’t play with matches?

Then we had the reader of scripture accidentally knock off the parament cloth on the lectern. This reminded me that we are fumbling humans trying to worship a majestic loving God. We do what we can, sometimes well and sometimes not so well, yet God still accepts our failures and foibles with the love of a parent watching a three year old attempt to make bread. No matter how messy it gets or how raw it tastes we still praise the attempt, for willingness is more important than the final product.

We are loved not for who we think we should be, but for who we really are. Sometimes following the script perfectly and other times falteringly clownish. It is all we can do, but attempt to respond to the unsparingly love of God knowing that it is our attempt which will be honored and accept. This doesn’t have to happen in a building, but that building provides us a tangible place to gather together and not only worship together but to laugh together. Thanks be to God.

Another view from a Beach