Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. | Hebrews 13:17
One of my friends posted a question this week: what were you doing one year ago, and did you know that our entire culture would change in a week? My answer was that one year ago I was at a conference with a few hundred other people, and the next week my mom and dad had contracted COVID and my brother was in quarantine after coughing at work. A week later (or so) everything was shut down and we were staying home.
As we come up on a year since we began ‘life in a pandemic’ living, I thought it was worth acknowledging. This is probably the 20th blog that I have written in relation to COVID, so I don’t feel like I need to say anything about decision-making, keeping up our hope, or what we are learning from this time. Instead, I want to thank and celebrate the people of Communion Church.
This last year has not been easy. I have been open and honest about how hard it has been for many pastors to navigate (this article lays it out well). I have personally watched as pastors have burnt out, churches have closed, and others have simply lost all joy in leading their flocks. I also want to make it clear that this is not where Andrew and I are. While we have had to make some tough decisions, weather some criticism, and watch some people we care about leave, this church has been a wonderful source of encouragement throughout this time of social upheaval.
The above verse from Hebrews 13 gives two directives to the church about how to act towards their pastors: Obey/submit to them and make their work joyful. I would like to thank our church for following both of these throughout the last year.
Obey your leaders and submit to them
This is no blind submission, but a willingness to work with your pastors toward what is best for the church. When the pastor’s make decisions on how to proceed, obedience is doing your best to follow where they are leading. This is easy when you agree, but the call to obey and submit becomes much more difficult when there is disagreement in the church body. I want to acknowledge:
those who do not like wearing a mask, but wear one anyway. THANK YOU.
those who believe we should have shown more civil disobedience, but stuck it out. THANK YOU.
those who wish we would have been more cautious, but respected the lines we drew. THANK YOU
those who donated your stimulus to help those in need. THANK YOU.
those who kept giving to the church. THANK YOU
Let them do this with joy and not with groaning
Making your pastor’s job a joy is not just about not complaining; it also involves being a people who are encouraging and thankful. It means loving one another and finding ways to support one another as life got difficult. I want to acknowledge:
those who sent messages of encouragement. THANK YOU
those who continued to love and support others, even as life got hard, THANK YOU.
those who stepped up and served the church. THANK YOU.
those who showed up when we weren’t singing and it didn’t feel quite right. THANK YOU.
those who bring joy into difficult spaces, time and time again. THANK YOU.
I could keep going, but the point is: this church is such a blessing. The last year has been hard, but I can’t imagine how much harder it would have been without the people that God has gathered together as a family here. We need people to hold up and support us. We need people to serve and care for. We need to be reminded of God’s great love for us. We need to be assured that this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2 Cor. 4:17). Thank you, Communion Church, for being a joy to lead and a community that loves and supports one another through difficulty. I can’t wait to see what God has for us next!