I Miss You

I'm up at the church building for a little bit almost every day. It's quiet here. The hallways are dark. Occasionally the preschoolers will come through on their way to play in the gym. There's way fewer of them these days. And I'm not supposed to go close to them since I'm not in regular contact with them, like their teachers are. So when I hear them I usually just stay in my office. But sometimes I'll go to the window between the office suite and the hallway and wave at them.

Justin's around. But it's a big building and he's cleaning. When I see him I'll say, "How's it going?" And he'll say, "Oh, you know. Just here being essential." But sometimes he'll stick his head in my office door and say, "Man, it's quiet around here." I don't really know what to say to that, so I just nod my head and say, "Yep. Sure is."

Sometimes I'll walk around, just to check on things. I'm used to the Sanctuary being quiet and empty. Other parts of the building, not so much. The Fellowship Hall is the worst. It's dark and empty these days and it's kind of cold in there. Normally during the week there's usually something happening in there - whether it's a church group or an outside group or Jim Ford and the preschoolers doing line dancing. The lights are usually on because we're usually getting ready for the next group or cleaning up after the previous one. And, of course, that's where we gather regularly on Wednesday nights for food and fellowship and study, where we are together the most, other than Sunday mornings for worship. Speaking of Sunday mornings, I try to look right into the camera and picture each of you, not out at the empty sanctuary and vacant pews. But it's difficult.

I don't share all of this with you to make you sad. I don't share this with you to make you eager to reopen sooner than is necessary and safe. I share this with you simply to say - I miss you. 

I think it's important to recognize that we human beings we can hold conflicting and diverse emotions at the same time. We can be grateful and happy and disappointed and sad, all at the same time. When it comes to our emotions, it's not an either/or choice - it's usually both/and. Sometimes it's even a buffet!

I am grateful for this congregation and proud of the ministry that you continue to do as the Body of Christ in the world. I am inspired by the ways you continue to minister to one another and excited that we don't need a building to be the church. I am sad the response to this health crisis is being politicized. I am angry at the scammers who are trying to take advantage of the vulnerable during this time. I rejoice in knowing that even though we can't be together for worship and study, we are finding new ways to stay connected through technology. And I miss you. And this is not only okay, it's biblical.

As for us, brothers and sisters, when, for a short time, we were made orphans by being separated from you - in person, not in heart - we longed with great eagerness to see you face to face.

- 1 Thessalonians 2:17

I love how the Apostle Paul puts it. When we are apart from one another, we are made orphans, we lose our family; but this separation is not in heart, it is only in person. We are separated, but only in person, not in heart. I, like Paul, feel a bit like an orphan right now. And I, like Paul, long with eagerness to see you face to face. I long with eagerness to worship together in person. I long with eagerness to break bread together around the Lord's table in the sanctuary, and in the Fellowship Hall on Wednesday nights.

We won't do these things together in person until it is safe to do so. It may still be a little while. And even though it seems like it's been quite a long while since we've been able to be the family of God together, when we look back on this time in the months and years to come, I believe we will see, as Paul did, that in the grand scheme it really was just for a short time.

Grace and peace...

Tim