Here's an interesting op-ed from this morning's New York Times on "not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together" -
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/08/opinion/covid-church-livestream.html.
Even as we kind of stick with what we've been sticking with in the time of being stuck, there do need to be encouragements like this toward the Table and Font as specific spatial locations going forward, especially if and as the pandemic threatens to pull us back apart this winter. The article does point out something about the way the service of the Word is received online, stating that the megas and the famous preachers have pulled away from the minis and less flamboyant preachers. I don't think that's necessarily so. It's very possible that the opposite is also taking place, which is an opportunity for Gospel preaching over against "how-to" and law-based proclamation. Word and prayer in our context also produce a hunger and thirst for righteousness in the reception of forgiveness at the altar.
We had a member confab at our home last night and one of the later-comers, who brought some incredible ribs, had a conversation with me about the need to emphasize love and forgiveness through God's grace, because that's what has been missing in the national scene and even in many online church services. His complaint was that the kids, being raised on their phones, have no way to converse and make peace through interpersonal relationships. They just bang away at one another and then give up with hate emojis.
Of course that was the Epistle lesson for yesterday - why be kind an tenderhearted? Because you will be imitating God who has treated you in exactly that way in the sacrificial fragrant gift of Jesus.
Dave Benke