Pastor’s Message November 1, 2021
Message from Pastor Aaron Schnell:
Welcome Home!
I remember seeing this sign in front of a church meeting space years ago. When one becomes comfortable in the community of faith, the building can start to feel like home.
We are about to re-open our building doors after many months of worshipping online only, and excitement is building for returning to the building. Having been away for so long, we are going to have to re-learn and perhaps re-shape our household rules and norms. As we re-learn life in our changed world, we have to re-learn relationships, re-learn hospitality and re-learn welcome.
There’s a story in Ezra 3, about Israelites returning home to the temple in Jerusalem after the exile. The first temple was destroyed in ~586 BCE by the Babylonians. Israel was taken into exile. In ~539 BCE, almost 50 years later, Babylon was defeated by the Persians, and the exiles were allowed to return home to Jerusalem. From Ezra 3:
“When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments were stationed to praise the Lord with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, according to the directions of King David of Israel; 11 and they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.” And all the people responded with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. 12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of families, old people who had seen the first house on its foundations, wept with a loud voice when they saw this house, though many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people shouted so loudly that the sound was heard far away.
There is some wisdom for us here. Church may not look and feel the same as we remember. You might be greeted with an open arm hug that you’re not ready for, or perhaps you’ll offer a handshake and be greeted with a peace sign instead. You might be ready to sing your heart out only to have to settle for listening to the song. You might be ready to see smiles, but have to settle for smiles behind a mask. Yet as one community of faith, we will lament together, and we will praise our God together - both online and in person. God welcomes us in our joy and in our lament.
As doors unlock, many will be joyful while many will continue to grieve. Be gentle, be kind; with yourself, and with your neighbour. The only constant we know these days is change: what better place to practice being a disciple of Christ in a changing world than in the community of faith with your family in Christ?
So whether we see you in the sanctuary or in gallery mode come Sunday November 14th - Welcome Home!
In Christ,
Pastor Aaron