In your distress, when all these things have happened to you in time to come, you will return to the LORD your God and heed him. Because the LORD your God is a merciful God, he will neither abandon you nor destroy you; he will not forget the covenant with your ancestors that he swore to them. Deuteronomy 4: 30-31
Greetings members of CLC!
My son James flushed a thermometer down a toilet. He said it was because he was angry at it and tired of the “sickness.” Now this was not one of the little, pen-like thermometers that you put under your tongue. No. This was a full forehead thermometer that went from temple to temple. Jessica and I tried to fish it out of the toilet in various ways, but we were unsuccessful. We called a plumber who used an auger to try to remove it for a half hour and he could not either. So we had to buy a brand new toilet all because of the act of our four-year old son. Who would have thought it would take a buying and installing a whole new toilet just because of a child’s simple action with a thermometer?
“Who would have thought” is an expression I have used many times since the start of the virus pandemic. Who would have thought that our country would have experienced so much death and sickness and hardship in 2020? Who would have thought that wearing masks in public places like a bank would be encouraged if not mandated? Who would have thought that we would need to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas with just our immediate families or alone? Here at CLC we can ask similar questions. Who would have thought that our Easter and Christmas worship services in 2020 would have been recorded and not in-person? Who would have thought that we would worship for months in our parking lot by FM transmitter? Who would have thought we would receive Holy Communion in prefilled cups with a bread wafer sealed on top?
We are now at a crossroads in both life with the virus pandemic and here at CLC. There are several vaccines approved for use, but they can be extremely hard to get in a timely fashion. I don’t think it is an overstatement in saying that these vaccines will change the path of the virus and our responses to it. At CLC, we are making plans to pre-record services such as Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday again this year. It is hoped – but not certain – that we may meet again in our parking lot for Easter Sunday. Then there is hope on the horizon that we can meet for in-person worship again later in 2021. This will be a great cause for celebration. Who would have thought that a simple in-person worship would mean so much to us all in this year to come? Hopefully we will learn from this ‘wilderness experience’ and keep the celebration of worship in the forefront of our hearts.
We, the members of CLC, miss each other. We miss being together. For us, it is a blessing just to see people face to face. That happened in January at our Annual Meeting. Many thanks to everyone who led the meeting and all the people who participated. And the good news was that we were able to see each other face to face on Zoom. Who would have thought it would be so meaningful!
So let us go forward with the Joy of Christ in our hearts. We don’t know all of what 2021 will bring. Even if we would make a guess or two, I believe we will end the year asking “Who would have thought” on many issues indeed.
May God Bless us and keep us!
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Justin