Coming Back Together after Coronavirus

I’ve heard lots of people talk about their longing and excitement for the grand reunion that will take place once life gets back to “normal.” Many churches even promoted their Easter Sunday worship as merely a mini-celebration of the resurrection—anticipating the real party once the congregation gathers together again in person.

I think this longing points to the fact that we were created to be in community—and I love hearing stories like this (but that’s for another article). Many churches wish that one Sunday a switch is going to flip and everything will go back to the way things were before. But this scenario seems unlikely. As we look to other parts of the world that are ahead of North America in the fight against COVID-19, there are few options we can consider. And, of course, this all depends on your area’s restrictions and guidelines. Read More

I am posting a link to this article because it does contain a number of good ideas. At the same time I do not share Bryan Haley's enthusiasm for hearing people talking about regathering. One reason is that I believe that repeatedly talking about how great it will be to regather may encourage church members to urge church leaders to make rash decisions. The folks who are now eager for their church to regather may also be the same folks who were complaining not too long ago about the church's gatherings. Those who think in terms of their church having a grand reopening are not thinking about what might be the consequences of such a reopening--a not so grand closure of the church when it becomes the epicenter of a new cluster of COVID-19 cases and deaths. While some readers may view me as overly-cautious, my life experiences have taught me that regathering requires a cautious approach since it involves what may be life-and-death decisions. Eagerness to regather must be balanced against the need to protect the elderly and more vulnerable not only in the church but also in the community. If other epidemics are anything to go by, we are still in the "first wave" of this one. The decisions to reopen the states are in many cases being made not based on the level of risk to the residents of the state but due to political and economic pressures. Toning down the talk about regathering may be a necessary step to prevent ill-conceived or reckless decisions.