It’s been often pointed out that the church is not a building--WE are the church. The sanctuary is not that big room with pews—We are God’s sanctuary. He dwells in us. Even so, I missed being in the church building last Sunday, and I missed being with all of you in the…auditorium. Sitting at home just didn’t seem right. I wanted to wish Shirley James a happy birthday in person! Something special happens when the people of God gather to worship. I found myself missing those minutes before most people arrive when doors are unlocked and coffee is brewing and pastries are put out and bread is bagged up for distribution. The early crew has a good time as they put things into place for what will follow. The Bible Study Hour’s conversations and sharing of prayer requests and diving into the Scriptures builds us up spiritually and allows us to share our lives together. And then the worship service begins. There’s a routine to it all, but no two weeks are the same.

Take away all of that for a number of weeks, and we are forced to discover ways to connect and encourage and learn together. This week we will be using Zoom technology to live stream. Your patience with this rookie will be greatly appreciated. I hope you will find ways throughout this coming week to deliver a word of hope and care to someone in the church family. It might be a phone call or a note or a meal or something else. And if the rest of us can meet a need for you, please let us know! By the time we get good at this new normal, it will be over. Hopefully, we will have grown in our love for the Lord and for one another in the process. And the next time we gather will be a time of great celebration.