2021 was the year of acceptance. We had hoped this year would see the end of the pandemic and that our world would return to “normal.” But we have collectively realized that Covid may linger until 2022 and perhaps beyond. Classrooms, restaurants, and museums have reopened—but with masks and, in some places, proof of vaccination. Many churchgoers are used to registering for Sunday service—a practice that was unthinkable in pre-Covid days. Despite these changes, our society has adapted and grown. I’m impressed by how my 1st and 3rd-graders proudly wear their masks all day during school. My local church meets faithfully every Sunday, and during our last members’ meeting, we installed new deacons. Here at SOLA Network, we have also adjusted to our new normal. As we saw more traffic to our website, we relaunched our website in August with a beautiful new design. We continued to publish works surrounding the pervasive pandemic but in new ways, such as encouraging people to reconnect with their local church body and exhorting exhausted pastors. We continued to highlight our unique heritage as Asian American Christians by writing about the future of the Asian American church, representation in media, transracial adoption, and our identity in Christ. We also wrote about current events, such as our response to the failures of Ravi Zacharias. So in our 2021 SOLA Network Magazine, we present 10 essays and articles that show the breadth of our work. I am incredibly grateful for all who submitted their work to us this year, as well as to our tireless volunteers who edit drafts, post on social media, and update our website. While we may never return to “normal,” we are assured that Christ continues to reign supreme, and we await the day that he will bring the heavenly normal when he returns.
Hannah Chao Editor at the SOLA Network
1
