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STARTING ANEW

By Pastor Bob DeKlavon


Yesterday, we held our first church service in 11 weeks.

Not that we have not been meeting but…gathering together in one place as a church body.

We had about 50 show up and even though we were spaced apart—it felt good to be together.

It is interesting to think about how long we will be doing this.

For now…..we just do not know.

But, until things change, I am glad, at least, that we can gather without repercussions.

This Saturday, {June 13}, our last pastoral intern, Caleb, will be getting married.

This was supposed to have happened back in April but, the virus ‘intervened.’

I was thinking about having to make plans twice for a wedding.

Think about all that involves.

Paring down the guest list.  Reinviting people.  Booking locations again.

All…..to start anew on something which had been planned once before.

In the two illustrations above—we at least had a template to follow for what to do.

Granted, the church building was scrubbed and the service was modified.

People were called to see if they were coming and everyone sat apart.

Some wore masks and some wore gloves.

But…at least we had some idea of what we were going to do based on the past.

For a wedding…..well….the same thing.

The reception gets changed a bit but most else will stay the same.

It will be based on what has been done in the past.

That got me thinking, though, about the early church.

After Jesus ascended and the disciples gathered in Acts 1—what do you think they thought?

We know they committed to pray because they really did not know what was next.

They did not have a ‘past’ from which to draw.

Don’t you wish you could have been there, though, as they discussed ‘next steps?’

The 120 gathered and can’t you hear some say they should do this nightly?

Did they do a rotation of speakers from among the apostles?

Who had any idea that Peter would speak and 3,000 would respond?

From there, then, what to do with who they had?

Well, the Day of Pentecost marks the traditional start of the ‘church’ as we know it.

On the first day of the week, we get to celebrate what God has done.

My greatest hope is that as we ‘start anew’ we seek Him and follow where He leads.

As the early church trusted the Lord for ‘what next’ so we must do the same.

{By the way—I started writing a daily blog on March 19 as things shut down. 

Now that we have some changes, I will be going to three days a week.

Hopefully, you will find encouragement still as I get to ‘do meetings’ again!}.

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