Doors Open, Grace Inside

 

Our church doors had this sign posted this weekend. It made me smile, and I wanted to share it with all of you. The glare makes it hard to read, so here's what it says:

"WARNING

First, by entering this building, you WILL be EXPOSED to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Such exposure through the Word, Sacraments and the fellowship of believers may make you break out with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control--all the fruit and work of the Holy Spirit. By God's grace you may experience--abundantly--more than all you can ask or imagine.

We will do all we can to MAXIMIZE this exposure."

I LOVE this!

Yes, our church is doing its best to keep the doors open.

When the pandemic began early last spring, many churches closed doors and went to YouTube/Online/Zoom for church worship services and bible studies. And it seemed like a good thing at the time. You kept hearing and reading "The church isn't the building. It's the people."

Yes, that is true.

But the people do meet together in the building, for fellowship and breaking of bread, for hearing the Word and for the forgiveness of sins.  Let's face it. The building is still important. It's where fellowship happens. 

So what has become of online/Zoom church these days? Pollsters have taken a look, and the news isn't that great. Most folks have become Zoom-weary, and of those people who initially participated in online church, the numbers are now steadily decreasing.

Sadder still are the numbers that indicate that of those regular church attenders who have stopped going because of COVID, more than a third of them are likely to not come back to regular worship when the doors open.

If someone is immuno-compromised and/or at high risk, they should stay home as much as possible. But for the rest of us, we can use common sense and take precautions and make decisions that are best for us and for our families, and most importantly, for our faith.

Hebrews 10:23-25 says "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

The habit of worship. It's a healthy habit to add to our weekly routines.

Here's a simple grace-filled card I made recently!

{Today's Brew: Faith in Bloom stamps and dies (Taylored Expressions), cross stich oval frame die (MFT), Simple Stories paper, COPIC markers}

Grace and peace to you, café friends!