by Afton Rorvik
I have not been inside a church building more than a few times since COVID-19 first hit. I love the church. I believe in her. And yet I find the arguments among churchgoers over masks, vaccines, and politics SO disheartening. And confusing.
The few times over the past years that I have stepped inside a church building, I have felt overwhelmingly conflicted and sad. In one church, I found myself among only five or six masked participants. In another church, I sat in a group of masked participants, some of whom took off their masks as the service progressed.
I struggle to walk in the actual, physical doors of a church.
But I love the church. And I still participate. Online. Every Sunday morning my husband and I log on to an online church service from our basement. We watch and worship. And then we discuss and pray. Our Sunday mornings give us life. And hope. And help us grow in our faith.
Because we plan to relocate soon, we have started watching churches online in the town where we hope to live. We have watched with fascination at how some of these churches embrace their online audience. One church announced a plan to hire an online pastor.
I wonder if this movement toward church online will bring healing in its wake. I pray it will.
I wonder if those maimed by church abuse will find comfort and safety in church at a distance for now.
I wonder if millennials, whose parents took them to church as children and teens, will feel curious enough to return now and then to church by tuning in online in anonymity.
I wonder if introverts, who struggle with small talk and greeting strangers, will find a new measure of delight in church by attending online Sunday services.
I wonder if people, like me, who feel sad and confused about the state of Christianity in America will find, through the online church, a renewed vision of the Jesus who transcends politics.
I wonder, has the pandemic offered Christians a gift by forcing us to think differently about what we call “church”?
I do miss the in-person connections I have found at churches over the decades, particularly smaller churches, and I plan to develop these sort of connections when we relocate. I do love the church in-person.
But I also love the church online and pray that she continues to thrive post-pandemic and point more and more people to the life-giving, larger-than-any-building, Jesus.
Afton Rorvik writes about living connected, something that matters deeply to her even as an introvert. She and her husband John have two adult children and love to walk and hike in Colorado. You can connect with Afton on her website or on Facebook, Goodreads, or Twitter. You can sign up for her monthly newsletter here.
Afton’s book Living Connected: An Introvert’s Guide to Friendship debuted in October 2021.
Cover photo by Samantha Borges on Unsplash
Thank you for articulating our “wonderings,” Afton. And thank you for your optimism. May God bless your relocation. -C.D.
Thanks, Carole! Such challenging days for churchgoers and church leaders.
I can so relate to this. My husband and I actually have not been inside our church since before the pandemic hit in 2020. Like you, we participate online. As a nurse, I have long held that we should not be shaking hands during flu season, and then when I witnessed people coming to church that I knew for sure were ill, I told my husband “that’s it. We’re watching online.” With 12 hour shifts and an off kilter schedule, participating in social activities of any sort on a consistent basis is a struggle. Our church is more traditional leaning, even though they have “contemporary “ services. So when the pandemic hit, the shut down infuriated many; but our pastor admonished everyone that God fearing or not, we are also law abiding citizens. He has had quite a chore being pulled between the “it’s a hoax”, anti vaccination “, “God will protect us” factions and those of us who feel wearing a mask IS taking care of our neighbor. They finally started offering a mask only service in a side wing of the church during the 11:00 service; they get to watch the live sermons/service via internal tv. I fail to understand the difference between watching at home and in a room with other people, but at least they offer it.
Another friend frequently is at her family’s cabin in another county and watches online. The pastor still gives her grief about that, because these folks insist being together as a body is the only way to grow your faith.
I actually spend more time in scripture and prayer than I ever have. My “serving the community “ is done in different ways than our church thinks it should be. But I keep trying.
Thanks for writing this. I was beginning to feel like I am an outsider still…somehow things will never change.
And thank you for your thoughtful response, Shauna. And your service as a nurse. How you must have been stretched these past few years!
Let’s keep praying for the church—her leaders and her people. Such challenge for all of us. And such potential for growth and change.
Glad you are spending more time in Scripture and prayer than ever before. 🙂 Me too.
Afton, I’m 72, have adult asthma and my husband and I had Covid in December 2020. We both had two Pfizer vaccines and I had heart issues I reported to my internist. My husband, pastor, former seminary president, professor and I have been in church in NC and SC almost every Sunday since the shutdowns in our states. Sometimes with masks, mostly without. We both give blood regularly and both test positive for antibodies(most recently two weeks ago). I worked In pathology labs for 25 years. I am mystified by the lack of discussion of natural immunity and the fear levels in church particularly. Mitigating infection is wise and should be taught and practiced not just with Covid but for flu and even cold season.
We recently sold our home of 15 years and moved to a new community September 1 in Seneca, SC. We started visiting local churches in person on Sundays and abided by their individual protocols. We also began going to Wednesday night suppers and Bible study at our closest church. We met lovely people, many new to our community also. Gathering together as the Body, sharing life and being the church is our life in Christ. I survived two aggressive different breast cancers, Covid and I am not afraid to die when Christ calls me home. I will do all I can to protect others.
The church needs a broader discussion of these issues!
Thanks for reading and commenting, Paula. I’m glad to hear your perspective and glad you have found joy in attending in-person church during these challenging days. I share your hope that we in the church can have a broader discussion of these issues.
I’m like you about the masks. When the CDC and our leaders tell us to mask for our good and the good of others, I follow their instructions, especially since I’m
immunocompromised. It’s disheartening to look around and see that many aren’t also concerned about protecting others. I consider that to be a Christian value. So, I spent the first year of the pandemic at home watching church on Facebook where our church’s worship and teaching were shared each Sunday. It was a great way to bring church to those of us who stayed home for health reasons. We also met for Bible studies outside on the church patio, some masking and some not, since we were outside and at a wide distance from one another. As a result of our services online, when the situation became endemic, we all returned to the church building, some masking, most not, BUT with many new faces who had met us online! We are a family oriented church with a great program for kids and teens, and we are a Bible focused church that takes the Word of God seriously and passionately. We love Jesus. Our church doubled in size! God used it for good!
Melinda—I’m so glad to hear that your church grew during the pandemic. Yahoo! May God’s Church continue to thrive despite these conflicted times. And may we who love Jesus continue to build up His church.