Pastor Melinda Giese, Summit UMC
Before COVID-19, Summit UMC did not have any way to view worship remotely. If you weren’t in Summit’s sanctuary on Sunday morning at 11, you missed it. On the positive side, if the preacher had an off day, it wasn’t recorded for eternal viewing on video! But unfortunately, those who were physically unable to attend worship had no way of participating. In the weeks since we’ve started combining video worship with Puyallup UMC, I’ve been intrigued by the ways in which virtual worship allows us to welcome a much wider congregation.
For instance, my mom and a few of her friends from Kennewick First United Methodist Church faithfully watch our Puyallup-Summit worship videos every Sunday. (Don’t worry, they continue to watch the services at Kennewick First as well!) This past week, my mom mentioned that one of her friends planned to pray for our Summit and Puyallup UMC churches as we make a decision on the proposed merger together. While I was surprised to hear that the Kennewick followers watched the announcements (which is a level of dedication I only would expect from members), I greatly appreciated her promise to pray for us. I heard her offer of prayer as a gift and a reminder of all the ways we are connected through the body of Christ, far beyond our local congregations.
One of my favorite scripture passages is the simple reminder in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I’m there with them.” I’ve always loved the idea that if you could just get two or three believers to gather in Jesus’ name, he’ll show up! It’s both a promise and an assurance – that if we will do our part to show up as Christian community, Jesus will be tangibly present among us. It also reminds me that Jesus can be found anywhere, whether the gathering is two church friends having coffee, a packed sanctuary on Christmas Eve, or a group volunteering at the food bank.
As the pandemic continues, I’m beginning to think about how our ideas of gathering in Jesus’ name might change or are already changing. In the past, when I heard that passage from Matthew, I automatically assumed a physical gathering. Now I hear those words differently as I think about sharing prayers and fellowship together on Zoom Bible study, congregation members reaching out to one another on the phone, and people joining to watch our worship videos in the Puyallup area and beyond.
In this time of difficult physical distancing from one another, I see the presence of Jesus in all the ways that the church continues to gather, and even in our persistent desire to gather. Christian community continues to be one of our strengths, and I wonder if our increasing ability to gather virtually will enable us to invite and include others feeling isolated and alone. My hope is that we will find new ways to gather and new people to include. And in doing so, my prayer is that we will continue to encounter Jesus in our midst, as we gather in his name.