105 days later

Youth Worker Chris Adams from St John's in Wimborne tells us:

"I’ve often been known to be a terrible person to give presents to. Someone will give me a very thoughtful present; I will be so happy about the present but then not use it for months. Eventually I get round to using it and wonder why I waited so long!

"This very well describes my experience of the church service this Sunday morning. I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but I’m glad to say it was a joyful present to receive. By my estimation it was 105 days - 15 weeks in which we went without having any congregation in the church building. That is a really long time and it can become easy to forget what you’re missing.

"Church being online has been fantastic in helping us to connect with God, and of course this will continue for a length of time yet, as understandably some of us won’t be able to gather in the church building in the near future.

"But there were many things which I really valued about being able to physically go to church. The freedom from distractions at home, the much greater sense of gathering as a church community, the simplicity of being able to say hello or smile to a church family member who you haven’t seen for a while. I think I’d forgotten within the 'new normal' of life in lockdown how valuable and encouraging physically gathering together is.

"Of course, it isn’t the same as in normal circumstances, we can’t sing in the church. Conversations with others are limited to passing by each other at a distance. But from my experience this Sunday, these are a small price to pay for being able to meet together at church, to encourage and be encouraged by each other.

"Whether at home tuning in or being able to come to the church building, let’s keep spurring each other on to keep going in the faith!"