With the rising of COVID-19 cases, our Indiana Conference bishop yesterday asked all United Methodist churches in Indiana to suspend in-person worship beginning November 22nd for the foreseeable future. On December 9th, our Church Council will meet to re-asses

in-person worship.

 

Because of these difficult times, two truths of faith seem to be pushing against one another. It is a truth in faith that we are a people together. Worship is an act of a people gathering out of the world to be present with God and each other. The worship of the church is misunderstood when it is primarily seen as an individual exercise. There is a spiritual necessity and truth in such a presence together in God and with one another. It is also a truth that the people of faith always consider God’s work for the whole of society, and the goodness seen in God for others, especially the most vulnerable. We love each other in the church, and we love God’s world and all within it. Sadly, this pandemic has created a tension that should not exist. In God, communal

in-person worship together should drive us into God’s people who serve and love the world.

 

Thus, the circumstances of the pandemic are not ideal, but God is with us. The United Methodist Church has a long standing relationship with IU Health. Methodist Hospital, downtown Indianapolis, was started by our conference. In our specific county and the metro area as a whole, hospitals are at full capacity while trying to make room for more. One doctor shared with me, “I will tell you, numbers in the hospitals are at record levels, staffs are getting to the point of being overwhelmed. Many healthcare workers and their families are testing (+) and out of the workforce for a time, many are reaching their physical and mental breaking points.”

 

For this reason, the bishop has asked for in-person worship to be suspended. You will soon hear about ways to continue to still share in worship together as a congregation. Remember God is good, and God’s faithfulness and work in the world is assured. Thank you for being Avon UMC.

 

– Pastor Danny