Having Mixed Emotions About Going Back to Church Again?

“I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.” Psalm 122:1

Dear Friends,

The first two Sunday services back have been amazing! And yet as we roll out our reopening, some might have contradictory feelings about coming back. Let me say upfront; please take all the time you need to be at ease about returning (as long as it is short :)). Why some may be slow to come back to church: You enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of worshipping at home. However convenient and good the online services are, they are not a “gathering” which is what the word “church” actually means. Let’s follow the good example of David in our text Psalm 122:1, who took the initiative to lead others to leave their houses and go to an actual place to worship, “…Let us go into the house of the Lord.” You don’t feel safe in public places anymore. With 3 months of data now behind us, the facts speak for themselves. COVID-19 is a dangerous virus but very manageable. Thankfully, the infection rate for the virus in San Joaquin County – at less than 0.2% – is very low. For those who have contracted the Coronavirus, 97% recovered. For healthy people and those under age 50 the odds of recovering are even higher. In fact, according to CDC metrics, if you come to church in a vehicle you would have a much higher risk of being killed in a traffic accident than by Coronavirus. Of course, always take reasonable precautions but don’t be alarmed at the new cases being announced. We would expect that to happen since there has also been an increase in widespread testing. There might be still other questions, such as, “What will the new normal at church be like?” All of these questions and feelings are normal as we humans do something “new” like attend church again. But be assured, the minute you drive onto the campus and see all the cars, view the faces of people you love, walk into the auditorium and find your “spot” and begin to worship with your brothers and sisters in Christ all your insecurities will vanish! You will leave feeling lighter than when you entered. With the psalmist you will say, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1). See You Soon, Dr. Tim Pollock, Senior Pastor