March Tower Echoes: Pastor’s Page

How shall we sing the Lord’s song upon an alien soil? – Psalm 137:4

The question for our ancient Israelite forebears was not academic.  It was a question stemming from real life.  Away from Jerusalem and the temple, they found themselves hanging up their harps for a while by the waters of Babylon.  They were exiled from their homeland.

For over a year now, distanced from every Sunday worship in and with the bodily assembly of worshipers, we’ve been praying the same question: “How shall we sing the Lord’s song upon an alien soil?”

A year seems like a long time.  In other ways, it doesn’t feel so long.  Depending upon our relationship with the pandemic, time flies or else it seems like it has been a long haul.  For me, some days it feels like a long journey.  Other days, not so much.  Still, we all know some sense of displacement.  We’re away from the body at worship and we are all eager to return.

The question about how we sing God’s song in this alien time has occupied a lot of my time.  Thankfully, praying the question has not been a solo journey.  Thanks to a dedicated and talented staff, parish leadership, and the input from many parishioners, this discernment, like all good discernment, is done in community.

I have found myself answering the question about how to worship while away from the body in different ways.  Some of my thinking has changed over time.  The pastoral task is kind of a balancing act of sorting out and honoring tradition, context, pastoral care concerns and more and doing this all with some sense of integrity.

We have observed that people at PRLC have responded in different ways.  Thanks to technology, the Sunday worship is videotaped ahead of time.  Many of you watch it on YouTube at a time that is convenient for you and your family.  Many of you enjoy watching the video together at the Sunday morning watch party.  Some prefer to use the bulletin to help pray without virtual worship. 

We value and uphold the tradition of weekly Eucharist.  Out of logistical necessity and because of our unusual circumstances, we’ve limited Holy Communion to about once a month.  The compromise is far from ideal, but we’ve settled on giving thanks over bread and cup at the congregation’s one table and distributing bread and wine, packaged in a safe way, to PRLC members.  Many of you have appreciated receiving the elements at your doorstep.  Many of you have appreciated coming to the church building to receive the elements that have been blessed at the videotaped Eucharist where “two or more” were gathered in Christ’s name.

This works very much like the ministry of sharing communion with the Homebound.   Normally, when we celebrate communion in-person, members of the assembly bringing communion to those unable to join the assembly.  Members who are sick or homebound receive the same bread of life and same cup of blessing as the rest of the assembly.  The gifts from Sunday morning worship are delivered and given to those who cannot attend in person.   We have employed this same practice in the pandemic.  A situation arose that few of us ever imagined – most of the assembly homebound.  Thus, the bread and wine coming from the same table around which we usually gather is given and shared.

We have also honored those who desire to keep a Eucharistic fast.  In a real sense, though, these members of the body are not fasting since they are able to pray along with the rest of the service of Holy Communion: the hymns, the sermon, the readings, the intercessions, the Eucharistic Prayer, the Lord’s Prayer and the sending.  Indeed, I’ve come to appreciate how we may fast from partaking the bread and wine but still participate in the Eucharist.

As we approach Holy Week, we find ourselves in a situation similar to last Holy Week.  We are not yet at the point where the assembly can gather fully in person.  Rest assured, we will pray through Holy Week.  Virtual worship will be provided for Passion Sunday, the early days of Holy Week, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter.  Some in-person gatherings will happen.  During Holy Week, folks from the congregation and the neighborhood are welcome to pray the Stations of the Cross that will be on the church grounds.  There will be opportunities for youth to gather, as well as a special gathering on Holy Saturday/Easter Eve.   No, we will not get to celebrate the full-on Easter Vigil.  We will, though, have opportunity to gather around a fire and re-connect.

Now that pandemic restrictions are beginning to be lifted, we find ourselves making plans on how best to enter again into in-person worship.  Please stay tuned.  In the meantime, please be aware of our plans for Easter Sunday.  Everyone will receive a special Easter Basket filled with items to help you celebrate Holy Week, including bread and wine blessed from the congregation’s Easter celebration.  We promise every home delivery.  It is our spirit inspired way of everyone coming together to celebrate the Resurrection during a time that feels so much like we’re living upon alien soil.

That leads us to Easter and the great 50 days.  As a way to make steps into reopening, Pastor Van Kley and I are offering to preside at small celebrations of Holy Communion during Easter.  These “Emmaus Meals” may happen with groups of about 10 people.  Stay tuned for more information.

We are looking forward to the time we can gather together in person.  Until then, know God is with us even on alien soil, and by God’s grace, we continue to sing and pray and in a few shorts weeks, we get to acclaim, again: “Alleluia!  Christ is risen!  Christ is risen indeed!”

Peace,
Pastor Hansen