What’s Happening @ Central
I was reminded last week that God’s timing is perfect.
Want an example to prove it? At the end of 2020, we decided to invest in upgrading our sound and video equipment. It was overdue, as we had not made a significant investment in this area since I have been at the church, other than replacing the sound board about 15-16 years ago after the existing board decided it was time to retire. We wanted to enhance the experience for everyone, in-person as well as online. It was a challenge, as the new equipment has a steep learning curve. However, God had provided the excess funds we would need, and we had some donations of needed equipment and technical expertise. In talking with the Advisory Board about this project I mentioned that when the COVID restrictions are lifted we want to be able to make our in-person experience as good as we possibly can. I didn’t realize that the online experience was about to become even more important than ever.
By now, you all know about the water leak that we suffered. Thousands of gallons of water poured into the church through a broken supply pipe in the ceiling of the women’s restroom. Carpets, walls, and insulation in numerous rooms was saturated. While the initial mitigation process has been completed, we have a long way to go before the church will be capable of supporting in-person worship services for more than the worship team. Suddenly, the online experience was the most important thing we could offer. Our God made certain that we would have everything in place before that need arose.
As far as upcoming events, we will try to have a workday for The Fig Leaf on Saturday, March 6th from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Just remember that we only have one working restroom, the hallways are very cluttered with baseboard trim and items removed from the classrooms, and the building may have other issues (missing drywall, etc.) by this coming Saturday. If you don’t feel comfortable in that environment, you should stay home. Pray that the restoration process will progress quickly and smoothly. It would be a wonderful thing to be able to have in-person services for Easter!
Thought for the Day
The longer the pandemic runs, the more I miss seeing people. That is something I never thought I would say. You see, I am an introvert that is quite comfortable being alone. I am most comfortable with just a small group of close friends. The larger the crowd, the more I feel like isolating and sitting by myself.
You would think that I would be almost giddy with the COVID restrictions. After all, we are supposed to stay home and self-quarantine and stay six feet apart and minimize contact with others right now. So why am I missing being with people so much?
We know from Scripture that companionship is essential to our well-being. We are not meant to be alone. We need one another, and a Zoom call is not sufficient to satisfy this need forever.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 reminds us that the person who is alone is not in a good position in life. We will all fall at some point, the burdens becoming to great to bear alone. If we have no companions, no friends near-at-hand, no one on whom we can lean, then how will we get back up? We need one another, and if COVID hasn’t taught us this lesson than we haven’t been paying attention.
Here is my challenge for all of us. COVID restrictions will, eventually, be removed. Life will once again become more like it was before the pandemic. We will want to gather again, celebrate and reconnect. We will want to hug one another and spend time with one another. Those are good things! As we begin to do those things, let’s look around us for others who may be struggling to find people to begin to share life with. So many people have lost loved ones and friends to this disease, and the new ‘normal’ will be difficult. Begin now to think about, and pray about, who is lonely and needing connection. Speak to them, and invite them to become connected with you and with Jesus. I believe strongly that people will be yearning for connection in the near future. We, as a group of Christians, already have that connection and need to be offering it to others!