Intentionality of Gathering - in person and in spirit!

Screenshot of praying together online;
Holy Trinity Cathedral, Wangaratta

This past week, I had the privilege and pleasure to worship with a number of friends and colleagues from around the world.

Not that any of us had traveled; but through the gift of technology we were able to let God’s Spirit guide us in Zoom Rooms and live-streams, in worship that included live prayers and recorded hymns, in a New York chapel, a Swiss office, and an Australian Cathedral.

While the past 2 years have been giving us new ways to worship, there are mixed feelings; pros and cons of online and hybrid church. Yet as we are emerging from COVID restrictions and developing our new realities, we know that online and hybrid church services are part of our lives – and are here to stay. They are not replacing gathered community, they are merely a different expression of it; giving us the option to increase (or decrease) our connections with each other in praise and service.

While these options allow us easier access to special events (like my friend’s ordination Down Under) and collaborative celebration (like the conference forum in Manhattan), they also create missional opportunities for our local community, connecting with those experiencing mobility challenges or illness or who lack transport…

And what we do with these multitude of options – the ordinary Sundays and mid-week prayers – is entirely up to us. We can choose to be engaged with the liturgy, following along in the bulletin, and praying for the Spirit of God to move in our hearts - or we can not; the choice is ours.

And we can be more intentional about our time together in the buildings; ensuring we are healthy when we go, and interactive in meaningful ways, and mindful of the space and place of what the building’s beauty has to offer.

The Spirit of God continues to move. She is dancing, singing, embracing us – wherever we are. She is not limited by distancing or intermittent like the WiFi; she moves. In us and through us, with us and for us.

So the invitation lies before us: to re-frame our thinking of online church in order to embrace the gifts that are offered, to be excited by the possibilities opening before us, and to be creative enough to continue our shared sense of being the gathered worship family. Let’s honour the ways the Spirit of God is moving through our efforts as the church to BE the church in the world of today.