I am happy that my church decided to hold virtual worship service this morning, complete with singing, responsive liturgy, sermon and passing of peace. I wasn’t thrilled that it was done through Facebook, a platform with which I have many reservations (to be charitable). Our church isn’t used to this kind of thing, though, so choosing a platform for broadcasting is just one more hurdle to be surmounted as quickly as possible.
Jonas Ellison writes in praise of churches that don’t do the virtual thing very well, and hopes they ultimately keep it that way.
I hope churches like mine don’t get too good at this. I hope that they can under-deliver just a little bit as this social distancing continues (here in Chicago, EVERYTHING is closed including bars and restaurants starting in a couple of days).
Just don’t get too good at the remote worshipping thing, church. Don’t let us get too comfortable watching from home. No matter what you do, it just isn’t the same. But thanks for doing what you can to keep us gathered during this time.I’m grateful to be able to have time to worship God with others, even through the distance of a screen on a coffee table. I’ve never attended a worship service in my pajamas, with my cat, prior to this crisis. I hope it doesn’t stay that way for too long, though. I want to be in fellowship with the congregation, safely elbow bumping through our messages of peace to each other.
