To Be Continued: Habit & Return

May 20, 2021 · by · in To Be Continued

Dear Ones,

Habits are funny things.

Before last March, most of us were in the habit of worship at the Fellowship on Sunday mornings. Many of us also had regular tasks for Sunday morning – greeting, speaking, counting the offering, preparing refreshments for fellowship hour after service, etc.

Last March everything changed from one Sunday to the next. March 15, 2020 was our last in-person worship service. That weekend Beaufort County experienced its first deaths from a new disease we now know as COVID-19.

Many of us got into a new habit – the habit of signing in on Zoom on Sunday mornings to online worship. Our first few online services were rough, as we were all learning. We are all STILL learning, fifteen months later. Now we are pivoting again, in light of new guidance from the CDC for vaccinated persons. We are now working toward returning to modified in person worship services on June 6, 2021 – the first Sunday in June.

As my colleague Keith Kron remarked recently:

“[The new CDC guidance for vaccinated people] is welcome, but it may also lead to people feeling left out and left behind. Whether it be families, people who are immunocompromised, or people who still aren’t sure (for whatever reason) we need not make decisions that assume anyone can do anything now.

“Also, after 14 months (and counting) of living with Covid-19, I pray we’ll remember to be kind and that people may and will need practice in being social with each other again. This next year will not be all reunions, hugs, and celebrations. Many people will be in deep grief, which may come out in a variety of ways–sadness, anger, indifference, quietness, confusion, and reticence.

“The test of covid [sic] on humanity was not if we could survive it, but if we could emerge better people as a result. Only a fraction of the test is over. Now  as we get ready for the rest of the test, I hope we practice and keep trying to be better people.”

I am really looking forward to seeing you all in person again.
Be well, and stay safe everyone!

Blessings,
Rev. Lori Hlaban