A Note from the Moderator
Now that the doors of our church building are open, what does opening look like? Confusion? Concern? What have we forgotten? Where were we before the doors closed and where are we now? And where do we go from here?
We’ve just reopened for worship and there are big gaps in the sanctuary. Some folks are still up north while others may be in a high risk category due to health reasons, and don’t feel comfortable attending an indoor worship service. And there are others who would rather worship at home on their sofa.
I recently came across the following written by Bill Ellis, 10/2/20. This is what he had to say:
“As church attendance numbers fade across the nation and online services become very convenient, it’s important to remember why church attendance for you and your family matters so much.
- You can’t serve from your sofa.
- You can’t have community of faith on your sofa.
- You can’t experience the power of a room full of believers worshiping together on your sofa.
- Christians aren’t consumers either.
- We are contributors.
- We don’t watch. We engage.
- We give.
- We sacrifice.
- We encourage.
- We do life together.”
And I would add, We pray.
So as we experience new changes coming our way due to the doors opening for the first time in 18 months, the Pastor retiring, the search for an Interim Pastor and subsequently a Called Pastor, we ask that God’s presence is with all of us, wherever we are, in this time of questions, discernment and change as we enter into a new chapter of Fort Myers Congregational United Church of Christ.
Carolyn H. Martin, Moderator
