Ever since the pandemic started here in the U.S. I've had a lot of time to think. Something that has really been on my mind is Church. It's been so long now since I've physically gone to church on a Sunday morning.
From the age of 19-26 years old, I church hopped. I visited many and stayed at a couple. There was one thing that I noticed from all these protestant churches with different denominations. The one constant about all of their sanctuaries... it was dark.
There was barely any light, a concert-like atmosphere, a stage with light fixtures and sometimes fog. When I visited these churches I was always surrounded by darkness.
This year it finally hit me.
Why are we worshiping and celebrating the God of Light in the dark?
In the fall of 2019 I started attending and working at a church, Grace United Methodist Church. It's a beautiful and historic church located in downtown St. Augustine, FL. One of the MANY reasons I chose to make Grace my church home was because I was finally not hidden in the darkness. I was surrounded in Light. The morning sun radiated through all the stain glass windows in the sanctuary.
I could see my brothers and sisters around me.
I was among the body of Christ.
I was seen.
For the first time in my walk with Jesus, I was starting to grasp what sacredness really was.
God's Light would beam down on us as we sang hymns that people hundreds of years ago sang. We recited The Apostles Creed together (something that I had never done before this year). This is how I was seeing the sacredness of God.
I've been missing these Sunday mornings terribly through the pandemic as our church remains online. While I hold this loss, I'm also extremely grateful that my church is prioritizing the congregation's health.
So now when Sunday morning roles around and I start to watch the online service, I notice that the Light is still shining through my window.
I can feel my brothers and sisters around me.
I am among the body of Christ.
I am seen.
That Light blazing through my window reminds me that even though I'm not physically in my sanctuary, I'm still on sacred ground and God is still with me.
