daily life as life goes on . . .

I’ve touched base with a number of pastors and church leaders over the last while.

One of the questions they are asking is:  Who is my church?

For the leaders, this is a question of the span of ministry – you can only stretch so far when the world is virtually open to you (and if there is no one who is following you – your stretch is atrophied). 

For the lone individual, this is a question of the options to receive ministry.  Through technology, it seems we can be gifted with “church” at any time, anywhere, with anyone leading the “church”.

One writer on future church talks of the organized (institutional) church coexisting with the spiritual (heartfelt) church.  Rules and release trying to find a way forward. 

Not a new phenomenon, but very relevant today!

Today, a friend of mine ran across the newest (OK, its a few months old) scandal of celebrity in the evangelical church.  Along with my wife, we chatted with her about how to take this newest revelation.

Replay the good – you don’t need to replay the bad.

Simple but profound.

• This doesn’t negate justice, but does allow for forgiveness.
• This doesn’t overlook the happenings, but dismisses the anger. 
• This doesn’t deny the hurt, but overcomes the bitterness.

My mind has been churning.

I liked my life of normal.  I had enough people in my life.  I had enough projects in my life.  I had enough life in my life.

Then COVID.  Then my guilt plugged in.  Then my shame plugged in.

I could now reach the world – I was expected to reach the world!  No more boundaries in the virtual world while the physical world was in lockdown.

A relative started a genealogy page.  Now I know way too many relatives – and there is an expectation that every day is a family reunion day.  I’m just one comment away from the next comment.

I used to be satisfied with one church service on Sunday.  Now I watch up to three or four.  I’m part of a prayer group out of Ontario.  I can stream into any number of edifying, communal, global gatherings.

My local hardware store was the mediator of product.  Now I can go online and enjoy my new friend, “AI” (Artificial Intelligence).  AI knows my needs, anticipates my longings and costs me a lot of money.

So my body is here.  But the rest of me?

I have worked for our local funeral home.  Sometimes as the officiant for a funeral.  Sometimes as an assistant for the funeral directors.

Yesterday I popped into the funeral home.  I had a class of college students who were there to see what happens at a funeral home (that’s a whole fun story in itself!).

The staff started talking with me. 

The funeral home budgets their fiscal year for around 120 – 130 funerals (no guarantees!).  There are a number of adjectives that go along with the word funeral, like “profitable”, “indigent”, etc.  Putting all those varied types of funerals together you would have an average of around 10 or a few more funeral arrangements per month.

As of January 29th, they had completed arrangements for 24 funerals, less than three were COVID related. Prior to that in 2020 there had been no COVID related deaths.

Any thoughts?