“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” ~Hebrews 10:24-25

It’s easy to forget that there’s so much more to history than the lived experiences each of us personally knows. We can pick pretty much any subject and quickly realize that just because some thing is the way it is right now does not mean it’s always been that way, nor will it stay this way forever.

And something this pandemic has done is to change the way we now “do worship.” Where once we had only physically joined together in worshipping on Sundays, and then moved to virtual in response to the pandemic; we’re now doing more of both.

This may also change the way we define ‘community.’

As the saying goes: “necessity is the mother of invention;” and this dates back to Aesop’s Fables from the mid-6th century BCE – long before Jesus walked the earth and the Christian church got its start.

Starting before then even we see changes in the way people gathered for worship. In the Old Testament we find the tabernacle; worship “on the go” for God’s people during their desert wanderings. That led to the temple; for a time the belief was that was where God dwelled. Furthermore there were synagogues for smaller gatherings, and lacking the number of people needed for a synagogue, people gathered outdoors.

Moving into the New Testament, the early Christian church also met in catacombs and upper rooms, and the first Christian church building didn’t come until the last half of the 3^rd century.

The important thing to keep in mind is that throughout these different times, God’s people kept figuring out new ways to be in community.

Which is continuing as the COVID vaccines are more widely used thereby allowing faith communities to think about how to safely return to indoor worship - yet - virtual worshipping is expected to continue.

While this allows us a greater reach (evangelism), how do we foster strong community bonds (ecclesia) with this emerging hybrid of virtual worship added to the in-person worship?

I don’t know what the future holds – but I’m excited to see what comes from it.

Together We Serve,                                                                                                                  Pastor Mike

 “Then God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;” (Exodus 20:1-2).

So even if you haven’t been around church a lot, you may recognize the above from the introduction to the 10 commandments.

Generally we think about the commandments coming as part God’s people having left t Egypt and in the wilderness or desert on their long journey to the Promised Land.

 And even if you have been around church a while – you may not know when they were issued.

Right around 100 days in or so; 3^rd morning after the 3^rd new moon after they left their dismal future filled with oppression and hardship.

It’s easy to imagine their first steps were filled with so much excitement…

“…we have been saved from…”

Which shifts as God shows them what God has saved them for.

And honestly sprinkled throughout those in-between steps are God’s people feeling their freedom has taken a back seat to God’s foolishness…

…as that apparent foolishness made them grumble…and gripe…and belly-ache…and complain.

As we make our way through Lent; through the wilderness with its very honest distractions…

...we give God our thanks for what we have been saved from…

…yet are we foolish enough to ask: what has God saved us for?

We’re livestreaming 10AM. Send us your email (prinevillepc@gmail.com) and we’ll be glad to have you join the journey.

Together We Serve,
Pastor Mike