A while back, I wrote an eWeek-end editorial titled, “If Sligo’s Walls could talk.” How all of that has changed since March 2020 when we cancelled all events in the church building except for the Worship Service. This is my take now:
If Sligo’s Walls could talk during the current pandemic, what would they have to say? I can just imagine that if the marble wall in the atrium could talk it would tell us about the wedding reception that was cancelled or the funeral repast that couldn’t be held in our Fellowship hall, and I’m sure the walls would comment about how empty the Wishing Well is now that the children are not able to watch with delight as the coins twirl around until they are finally sucked up! Yes, I almost forgot about all the music that takes place in the Atrium—piano practice, choir practice, music concerts that are not happening and the list could go on and on. Then if we open the walls into the Fellowship rooms, those walls might talk about the Faith & Reason S.S. class that isn’t there or the hospitality meals where so many generously provide food, welcoming our guests have all been cancelled.
It’s Sabbath morning. Let’s walk downstairs—oh my, there are no children coming to Sabbath School! The walls no longer resound with the singing of children’s songs and recitation of Memory Verses. And now it’s 11:15 and no youth are coming to their Underground Service—it’s very quiet down here on Sabbath!
The walls all over the church used to witness when the church choir came to rehearse or when the faithful came to pray in the House of Prayer, or the University students came to chapel services on Wednesday mornings, or on Friday nights when the Telugu Group came to worship. Then, there are those special celebrations such as Vacation Bible School, when night after night hundreds of children and adults won’t be able to sing and enjoy the wonderful fellowship. I didn’t realize how much we’re missing!
Our Sanctuary walls would have so much to say about the joy of a new life when our children were dedicated to God, or when there was a new spiritual birth as a baptism took place, or when the sanctuary was packed to witness a graduation—a milestone in the lives of our young people. Then there were those times when a couple spoke their vows of love to each other, “’till death do us part,” and no longer the celebration of a life well-lived, as death holds sway—briefly– until the “trumpet sounds.
The walls still quake when the organ peals forth in accompaniment to congregational singing—especially at the end of a Communion service as hands are held across aisles singing, “When We All Get to Heaven.” Oops, we couldn’t hold hands across the aisles, but we just had a Communion Service holding hands upward at home singing “When We All Get to Heaven.” It wasn’t quite the same, but it has kept our tradition alive in new ways.
In spite of the fact that we cannot worship together within the walls of Sligo Church, community is happening. Many are experiencing community via ZOOM. Whether it’s in a Sabbath School class, Prayer Gathering, Journey Groups, committee meetings, or Board meetings, we are able to meet together. While it may not be as joyful as seeing each other in person, we’ve learned that technology has assisted in our worship in a way we would never have imagined. Our worship services have been especially comforting as week after week a small contingent of faithful people come to the church to assist in streaming the service for thousands of people all over the world. Who would have thought that we have more people worshipping with us each Sabbath now than we had within the walls of the church!
And members are caring for members, calling and checking in, especially the elderly. For those who are alone, it’s an especially lonely time, making it so important for all of us to keep in touch.
There are so many speculations of what the country will be like after COVID-19, or how churches and schools will function afterward. The questions for us is, what will we be like when we’re able to come back and worship within the walls of our church again? Will it be worship as usual or will we be a more grateful congregation realizing that what we have could be gone in an instant and what is most important is our relationship with God and with each other.