A Letter from Lindy April 19

Pilgrims,
Well, we made it! We made it through a very different Holy Week and Easter, with all its unexpected emptiness. We gathered in the glow of resurrection light, not totally knowing what it all means. And we keep good company with Mary, Mary, Peter, the beloved disciple. And this Sunday, with all of the other disciples, even if Thomas is a little late to the table, locked together in an upper room. Waiting for Jesus. A Jesus we no longer recognize. A Jesus we no longer know, perhaps.
 
As I stood in solitary, but 5, in the sanctuary, Easter morning, it was, to be sure, a surreal experience. After our debrief post-worship, I wondered when things will get back to normal.  I've heard a lot of competing dates and I try to sort between their wishful hope and practical reality--and everything in between.  Knowing we have  not yet reached the apex, Pilgrim's leadership is planning now for this to be our new normal through the end of May. If we slowly roll back earlier, praise God! In my clergy circles, there is a fervent prayer that we can gather in person on Pentecost. Ours is planned for the Eno, and wouldn't that be amazing?! A pentecostal river celebration, like none other.  
 
When I hold such hope in prayer,  I find myself stopping and checking: really? Do I really think that after we’re beyond this stretch, we will go back to exactly what we know and have done? I do know the curve will flatten, hopeful in  the most ambitious of timeline, for hospitals to lessen the suffering and loss of life associated with this virus. But, truthfully, I also believe that we probably won’t be gathering in large numbers… anytime soon after. In fact, we may not be gathering in groups of more than 50, let alone 150, until there is a vaccine or until ?? percentage of the population has been infected.
 
So what will that mean? Will we be worshiping in person in two.....six… or even twelve… months? We just don’t know. Which means that what we’re thinking is as interim practice may become our new normal. As I survey the landscape of our community, state and country, would planning for anything else be in our collective best interest? 
 
So much unknown. And we hate unknown. Don't we? We want proof. We won't just take others' words, even if they are good friends. We need to see ourselves. We need to touch the holes in his hands, in his sides, before we believe. And God nods knowingly, as we ourselves live the gospel story here and now.
 
"See" you Sunday.
Pastor Lindy