66
REGULARS
ADAPTING TO THE NEW NORMAL
GREG PRIEBBENOW
congregational pastor
I
n what ways has your life been different this year? I am very sure that all of us could answer that question with a long list of adaptations we have had to make due to the onset of COVID-19. The necessary restrictions adopted within our state and nation have brought significant changes to the ways in which many of us work, play, shop, socialise and commute. Very few sections of our society have been unaffected – and the church is no exception. For many years, a congregation of the Lutheran Church of Australia has gathered for worship at 9am on Sunday mornings in the Chapel of St Peters College. But in late March, our worship went online instead, and for over three months we met via Zoom. From our homes in various places (some folks joined us from rural locations and even from interstate) we gathered together digitally to hear from God and to give God our thanks and praise. People of all ages quickly learnt new skills and our life as God’s people was carried forwards. That’s the nature of God’s kingdom – it remains active and alive in all situations and circumstances, and nothing in this world can overcome it.
Our experience also attests to the nature of 'church'. Church is not a building, it is a community of believers who follow Jesus, led by the Spirit to be God’s people wherever they are. The COVID-19 restriction period led us to explore new ways of coming together across physical distances and caring for one another without the benefit of physical proximity. Who we are in Christ transcends physical distances! As St Paul expresses, “neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord,” (Romans 8:39).
Plus Ultra | November 2020
With the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in Queensland, we were able to return to gathering physically for Sunday morning worship from 12 July, albeit with some differences. This return-to-worship required further preparation and planning, as we established compliance with the 'Industry COVID-Safe Plan'. It has also necessitated extra efforts in music preparation and delivery, setting up, cleaning, ushering etc. Thankfully, our congregation is a good 'team', working together well to keep all safe and secure. Unfortunately, the onset of COVID-19 has complicated some dimensions of our congregation’s community life and Ministry. We have not been able to 'fellowship' together as we would like, and our Ministry interface with the College and wider community has been restricted. Exploration and development of new Ministry opportunities has also been made much more complex. That said, the church is much, much more than its programs! The people of God at St Peters have been very active in following Christ in their various life vocations in their homes, schools, workplaces and neighbourhoods. Every hardship and challenge is also an opportunity to love, care and share. None of us is quite sure what the next six months will bring. Who expected the events of the past six months? Yet, we need not be anxious or troubled, for in Christ we stand upon firm and trustworthy ground. Or to put it another way, we do not know what the future holds, but we know the One who holds the future, and who holds onto us lovingly in all things. Blessings, Pastor Greg Priebbenow.
