“Crisis and Opportunity”             “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” Jeremiah 29:13 Heading

I have heard people say church is closed.  Others, in being a bit more optimistic, are saying that church is merely postponed.

Neither is true.  The church building might be closed, to be opened back up at another time, but God isn’t locked inside with me typing this. 

You see, church is happening at all times, everywhere. 

Church is happening in your homes whenever you demonstrate love to each other.

Church is happening in your homes anytime you pause and give thanks to God for your health or express your gratitude for the many blessings you have.

Church is happening in your homes every time you call a neighbor, a friend, or a loved one.

Church is happening when you share out of your abundance with each other.

You see, church is more than a building and it’s definitely more than a day of the week.

To be fair, we are still providing a Sunday morning worship experience on the radio and on Facebook for everyone who would like to participate while we aren’t gathering together at this building where we have traditionally always been doing church.  That is just one expression of what being the church is though.

God is really big.  Bigger than we can ever imagine, in fact.  God’s love is so vast that there are no corners of this Earth where a person can go and not experience it.  God’s love is everywhere, including in our homes during this difficult time.

We will be gathering back together at this church before long.  I don’t know how long that will be but I do know that the day will come when we again will gather together as the body of Christ.  I treasure deeply the thought of seeing all of you all again soon.  I miss your voices and smiles.

I hope we remember how we learned Church is many things beyond just Sunday morning. 

John F. Kennedy spoke about how the Chinese written language has two brush strokes to write the word crisis.  One brush he explained stands for danger.  The other brush stroke represents opportunity.

John F. Kennedy reminded us then and now that we need to be aware of the danger but we have to also recognize the opportunity.

We don’t just go to church; we are the church.  As the body of Christ, you are the living church.

I am praying for all of you every day.  I know many of you have been laid off.  Some of you have been told you have to close the doors of your business.  I know some of you have been sick and still others live with a fear of getting sick due to your underlying health issues.  We will get through this and we’ll get through this together by being the church in all places at all times.  We will see, likely only in looking back, that even in this crisis is opportunity to better love each other, take care of each other, and ultimately be the Church better.

May it be so,

Rev. Lou Ward