Open or Closed

Last Friday, Good Friday, the Governor of Connecticut issued order 7X to extend the time of closure for nonessential businesses through May 20. While this did not come as a great shock and may in fact be extended further, it has cause me to ponder church during this strange time. Church in the truest sense of the word is not closed! (We can argue another time whether it is nonessential?!)

Yes, the building is shut; yes, we are not gathering on Sundays physically. 

But...the ways in which "church" is continuing are simply amazing and grace-filled!

This tension has caused me to focus on what the church is...the Body of Christ finding ways to worship and serve. That is still "open". For me, ministering to the sick has become so difficult yet certainly more intentional and emergent. For me, prayer has deepened and lengthened. 

I recall at the end of my first zoom Bible Study a remark was made: now that was church! I suppose we all showed up to pray and ponder together that we might deepen our relationship with God. 

While it is not as simple as where one door closes another one opens, but I do believe this terminology of physical limitation has caused us to seek terminology of spiritual expansiveness. Barriers are being knocked down and hearts are being touched across various actual structures. 

In the end God has no limits and our prayer and praise ought be endless. So I am going to conclude or perhaps suggest that Church is open, essential and vital; it is just on pilgrimage.