More Covid Effects?

image via wild apricot

Does anyone know of a church relatively close that does evening services? I’d love a Sunday night service but Saturday could work too. After Covid for the past year I’ve really loved our mornings at home on the weekend.” – posted on a neighborhood facebook page

This struck me as a very sad commentary on not just the effects of the “pandemic” but on our culture.

  • The person asks about a church – no denomination as it didn’t seem to matter.
  • The person is looking for a convenient service, something that wouldn’t interfere with Sunday mornings at home.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for the opportunity to watch/semi-participate in church at home. When things starting shutting down last year, before we even knew about Chuck’s illness, we watched our church in St. Augustine from afar. When our children came to Birmingham we were able to share with them together in our living room. For a few of them it was the first sermon they’d probably heard in years. After Chuck died, there were a few Sundays I just couldn’t face people yet and I was grateful to hear His Word proclaimed via YouTube.

But, as soon as I was able I attended in person, even though it was at two new locations where I had to/am having to get to know a lot of new people. What a difference; what a blessing! Now I crave that fellowship with God and His people. I pray God does not let me slip back into habits of ease and mediocrity.

Go the Distance

chuck 001.jpg

CAB- 1975

 

The prompt for Day 4 of PAD-2016 is “Distance”. The first thing that came to mind was “Go the distance,” via Ray  Kinsella/W.P. Kinsella/ Field of Dreams.  Though this isn’t particularly a baseball poem, it IS Opening Day, so rather serendipitous.

 

Go the Distance

Go the distance

If the road winds on

follow it around the bend

though uphill and steep

unpaved and rough

 

Go the distance with your friend

for better or for worse

in quiet or in song

beside her in  darkness

rejoicing  in the sunshine

 

Go the distance with your words

Write them for good,

speak them in comfort

Sow seeds of kindness

with the language of your soul

 

Go the distance with your love

holding the unlovable

building up the broken

though the night be long

and no recompense comes

 

Go the distance in your work

In joyful servitude

do your best, complete the job

even when no one’s watching

when no one seems to care

 

Go the distance

in all you do

Go the distance