Wrestling and Strengthening Muscles

If you read my blog last week, you know I’ve been recovering from a hip injury. I couldn’t help but think about the odd story of Jacob wrestling with God all night and having his hip pulled out of its socket so that once the battle was over he was forced to walk with a limp. However, he had encountered God and probably wouldn’t change that experience for anything. I’m not limping but I’m seeking that clear God encounter to guide me.

As a return to in person worship comes closer in my congregation, I’m doing my own bit of wrestling. If we still can’t sing, how will we incorporate music safely? How will we keep the kids engaged until safe Sunday school is possible? What will make the service connect with all ages at once? And perhaps my greatest concern, will we have enough volunteers willing to help to make it all happen?

We have a Covid planning team who have met and talked through how many greeters and ushers we will need to ensure smooth flow of people and distancing, as well as monitoring sanitizing/hand washing and running the elevator. Many people are nervous to come back to church at all, let alone to be in a role of leadership. Anxiety levels are still high even as vaccines start to roll out giving a false sense of security.

In a phone call earlier this week, the topic of exercising muscles we haven’t used in a long time came up. I know the first time I attempted to do a flight of stairs after two weeks on the couch it was a very good thing that there was a railing because my injured hp was like jelly from under-use. I know that I need to build up strength and to use those muscles over and over again until I don’t need to think about it.

After a year of pandemic so many of our church muscles have gone soft and flabby, whether it’s the discipline of getting up Sunday mornings and making it to church on time, socializing with people or volunteering in a variety of capacities (whether serving meals or offering kids’ programs or interacting with the homeless or leading groups and activities). So many of these things have been off the radar and there is concern about whether or not people will return or will they just continue to watch from home, disengaged from the church community.

This morning a post by Diana Butler Bass turned up in my e-mail where she talks about the possible decline of the church in the US because so many anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers and conspiracy theory followers have come from the church. So many Christians have been perceived to have fled from neighbours in need to protect themselves and their own comfort. Those who have stepped up in this time to serve the poor, the sick and the dying haven’t received much air time.

I remember asking our congregation how they wanted to remember the time spent in the pandemic. How did they want to look back on it - as a time that they looked after just themselves, perhaps huddled in fear at home, or as a time that they came through for the community and stood shoulder to shoulder with others in need? It’s probably about time I asked that again as people complain about how long they have to wait to get their vaccine when so much of the world has yet to receive any doses.

Some of our people have been working their muscles of generosity and selflessness this whole time. They have found ways to safely serve and they have done it with a smile. Their creativity inspires me. All of us will need to relearn and adjust to new rhythms of community life. We will need to have immense grace and compassion while we seek to welcome and safely include all who wish to come. Perhaps some past practices and ministries will need tweaking or abandoning in this new time. The muscles of discernment will need to be stretched and used consistently.

As you think about ways of gradually working these neglected muscles of community life, may you find creative ways to re-engage people and to prepare them to re-enter the joy of Christian community. May you also find creative ways to ensure that those not ready to return are still included and valued until they come back .