Moving into a new home with a great warm welcome and a first Sunday that is so full of excitement and a great first service. It was wonderful. But then the call from a staff member after spending the entire day going through things that she was in close contact with someone who tested positive with Covid-19. The phone calls, the quarantine, a positive test for her, then me, then my wife and a child, and my parents who came for a visit. Not what one would expect or look for when beginning. It made for some quick planning. It, also, made it for a great test for the leadership. It required me to have to let go and let things be in the hands of others because of quarantine and my inability to really do anything outside of what I could complete with a computer at home. Worship still went on and God was still praised. God has given us great tools to be creative for ministry and we should not limit the power of the Holy Spirit. Covid-19 has no power over us or our faith. Yes, Covid-19 is highly contagious and can have dangerous symptoms for some people, while most will have cold or flu-like symptoms if any at all. Personally, it was more like a bad cold for me and my family that tested positive. What is more important, though, is that we are called to be proclaimers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Though it may be important to ask for others to be careful and thoughtful, i.e. to wear a mask, wash hands often for 20 seconds, social distance, stay home if you are feeling ill, etc, but it is more important that we share our faith and be compassionate to those in need not forgetting our witness. It needn't be an either-or, but a both-and situation.
