Who is coming back to church, and when?
Then again, is it really about “coming back?”
In principle no.
Most of your congregation never left. Most are with you online. And the church is not about a building; it’s about the impact of Jesus in the community.
In practice, yes.
We all know what we’re talking about.
The return of the church to physical buildings post COVID, and we are very much in uncharted waters.
People will come back; that we can know with confidence.
What we don’t know is who, how many, and when.
So, let’s be candid. There is more we don’t know than we do.
But isn’t that what we as leaders are called to do — lead into the unknown? Read More
Among those most eager to return to the physical building are those who do not believe that the church should have left the building in the first place, who maintain that the COVID-19 pandemic is not as serious as health experts claim, and who dismiss the need for precautionary measures such as social distancing, open doors and windows, electric fans, face masks, hand washing, and no singing or recitation. Among those most eager to return are older church members who fall in the high risk category. Among those least eager to return are young parents with small children. They usually put their children in the nursery while they attend Sunday school and/or a worship service. As I have pointed to the attention of Anglican Ablaze readers elsewhere talking about post COVID is overly-optimistic. COVID-19 is likely to be with us into the next century even if a safe and effective vaccine is developed. A vaccine may not confer lasting immunity. Polls indicate at least a quarter of those surveyed say that they would not be vaccinated. Health experts also warn that COVID-19 may become endemic like influenza and the common cold coronaviruses. This means that churches may have to plan for an annual COVID-19 season as well as an annual flue season. This is the kind of unknown into which church leaders are called to lead their churches.
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