Blessings on this Ascension Day! Today we enter the mysterious ten days in the liturgical calendar, a sort of “in-between-time,” ten days of waiting between Jesus’ ascension into heaven and the promised outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost. How did the disciples handle it? How well do we handle times of waiting?
One could argue that the church is in an in-between-time – especially around our practices for worship. On May 7, Governor Walz lifted several restrictions on in-person gatherings; on May 28, more will be lifted. Then, when 70% of Minnesotans 16 years and older have been vaccinated (or July 1, whichever comes first), the last restrictions will be removed.
We are in a liminal time. How do we decide what our communities will do for worship?
Governor Walz’s announcement follows the wonderful presentation from Dr. Michael Osterholm (at 1:28:20) at our Synod Assembly just two weeks ago. In that presentation, Dr. Osterholm humbly started with a disclaimer: “The more that I know, the less I know.” His point was that the trajectory of the coronavirus is not linear or predictable.
Dr. Osterholm stated that we are “in the darkest days of the pandemic” from a global point of view because of the uncertainty of the variants, the increase in childhood infection rates, and the inability to get vaccines to underserved nations and communities.
Yet Dr. Osterholm also expressed gratitude that there have been two consistent “houses of healing” during the pandemic: 1) health care institutions for the healing of bodies; and 2) churches for the healing of souls. This is a significant affirmation of our role as faith leaders in our communities. The challenge is that we have not been able to gather to fully embody the love of Christ that we’ve so desperately wanted to share.
Now, the question on the minds of many around our synod is this: Where do we go from here? I find comfort in Osterholm’s counsel: “When answering questions [about guidelines], I worry that we are requiring perfection when good is what we really need.”
In the coming weeks, our churches face complex decisions about reopening plans – decisions that will be heavily influenced by factors within their own local contexts. What “plays in Prior Lake” may not be what “plays in Powderhorn Park,” and vice versa. In the course of such planning, we will call upon the same neighboring practices that have carried and supported us through the past 14 months: grace, humility, adaptability, listening, and forgiveness.
My colleague, Bishop Bill Tesch, Northwestern Minnesota Synod, provides a succinct FAQ around myths and facts related to the new restrictions.
We know that the broader precautionary concepts still apply in all contexts: Outdoor gatherings are safer; indoor gatherings are made safer with masks and distancing; indoor gatherings of fully vaccinated people are now safe; and vaccinating as many people as possible is the ultimate goal.
I have heard from so many of you how tired and tapped out you are from the constant need to adapt to the realities of the pandemic. I hope and pray that, even in these ongoing liminal times, God will provide strength and hope as we seek to embody God’s love and grace that have sustained us thus far.
