Church communities all around the world are beginning to wrestle with how we could once again gather in time and space. Here in Colorado, we are all currently thinking about what that might look like as each county comes up with a plan for the summer months. Our own church community is committed to honoring the spirit of the law of the land and living in submission to the authorities established by man – primarily as an act of worship to God.

When you are faced with a need, a struggle or anything that you are going to present to God as a request, petition or supplication, what is your attitude? Does your prayer sound more like a complaint? An argument? Or does it sound like the whining of a child who wants to get their way?

I have had many ask me, “When will we be gathering again as the church?”

I love everything about the space program.

I am fascinated by the technology necessary to propel a person or even an object into space. The teamwork and networking necessary to launch 140,000 lbs. into orbit, and keep it there, are not lost on me.

Several years ago, I went to a local hospital to visit someone from our church community only to be turned away at the front desk. It wasn’t that the person didn’t want to see me, they didn’t want to see anyone! At the time I thought it strange, but after spending a few nights in the same hospital over the years, I get it – at least I understand.

No matter who you are, the governor’s executive order has placed each one of us in a difficult position. For some, there are some incredible blessings to this season. But for many others in our community, they are deeply impacted by this order.

Holy Saturday, some call it Silent Saturday, is in reference to the day between Good Friday and the Resurrection. On this day, the disciples and other followers of Jesus, not yet filled with the Holy Spirit, huddled in the upper room that they had rented to celebrate the Passover, (kind of like renting an Airbnb for a party in another city for your daughter’s graduation weekend). When everything went a different direction than what they expected, the only place to gather was the upper room.

One of the conscious decisions that we made at the outset of this crisis was that we were going to use the opportunity to remind our community and our neighbors that we are not defined by a building or an address. This is not to say that our building is not an important resource to the ministry of HarvestDowntown, but that it is just that: a ministry resource that facilitates ministry. For this reason, we have been referring to our facility as 411 North Weber in order to pivot our thinking to, “How we can be the church beyond 411 North Weber?”

One of the guiding principles in this difficult season is that we want to launch ministries and programs that are sustainable long after this current plague has passed over us. This is partly because, after this plague is in the past, we will most certainly have future plagues as we see the Day of the Lord approaching. This is to remind us that there will always be needs among us and the church is to remain present in the needs of the people.

Ageism, Darwinism, Initiative, and Access

I have heard some disturbing news over the past couple of weeks. It seems that there is a strong undercurrent of ageism that is permeating various responses to the plague sweeping the global community.

Last week, I posted a response to the fear that is gripping our country. Several weeks ago, I preached a sermon from the book of Joel about COVID-19 as a wake-up call to us to consider the lostness of mankind. At that time, I called us to a season of fasting and prayer as we sought the face of God. What has changed?

A missionary once told me, “Sick Happens!” Yes, it does. We believe in the healing work of Jesus in our bodies. Sometimes this healing is proactive and preventative, and other times, it is reactive and restorative.

Every Sunday, all over the world, every church service begins with a call to worship. For some this is just a song, others it is a scripture reading, silence, prayer, or a devotional. However a church chooses to do this, the purpose is the same: invite the community of Christ into the manifest presence of God.