What have we missed? What will be the same? Different?

The post-pandemic church is emerging before our eyes! What have we missed the most? What might be the same? What will be different? What are the unprecedented opportunities? I do not know anything more than you. Below are what my pastoral instincts are telling me. I am also making a few guesses since we have never been here before.

What have we missed the most?

• Fellowship. In the early church and our church, fellowship was vital. The breaking of the bread is even recorded in Acts 2. This fellowship was deeper than superficial relationships and was known as koinonia. Our being together has been missed!
• In the coming months, we will be capturing and catching up with some great fellowship opportunities! Stay tuned!

What might be the same?

• Some of our groups and ministries have resumed in person to include Sunday School, classes, and some programming for adults, youth, and children.
• We resumed our worship times months ago, and this still looks to be a good fit for our congregation.
• Our administrative meetings have continued throughout the pandemic, never missing a beat.

What will be different?

• Lord, please hear my prayer! Can we have less meetings and more mission, ministry, and movement? Just like you, I am not a fan of extra meetings and unproductive time wasted. I hope we can have fewer meetings and more strategy, more focus, and more action coming out of the pandemic.
• Can we dominate our church environment by “making disciples” and being “Kingdom People?”  
• Can we focus on our congregation and our community and be the strongest Church God wants us to become?

What are the unprecedented opportunities?

• We have a chance to be the church that looks like Jesus! Let’s keep our focus simple!
• The world needs the good news and hope of Jesus as much as ever! We can offer this good news and hope of Jesus like never before if we choose. I say we focus on this like a laser beam!
• Let us pray big and bold prayers that we will be all that God wants us to become!
• Let’s keep the online connection growing! We are moving toward a day we can have robust “in-person” and “online” attendance! Why not both? These are exciting DAYS, and there are exciting new WAYS to be the church like never before!

This week we move into the series GO. We will be inspired to have discipleship motion and action! We will also share the good news about our new online campus! Thanks for your faithfulness to Shalimar United Methodist Church! We are beginning to see some normal again! We also see some new doors opening. These are exciting times to be in the church!

Shalom,
Philip