Now that Lockdown is Over- What now Church?

For the most part here in the UK, lockdown is over and people are coming out of their self made bunkers and breathing in the fresh air. They are according to the media trying to live in the "new normal" and get their lives back on track.

 Getting back on track for them may mean losing the weight they have accumulated over lockdown, or staying fit now that it is over. It may mean relief to shell shocked parents who can at last know that their children will go back to school in their lifetimes. Children can now go wild, knowing that they can see their friends again while silently admitting that they have missed school. For many, sadly, it can mean they can now publicly grieve the loved ones they have lost.

 But what of churches and Christians? What does their post lockdown world look like?

  Churches are not yet able to meet as they did before lockdown. Christian Leaders are trying to interpret the government guidelines and protect their flocks at the same time. People, for the most part are tired of meeting on Sunday morning via their iPhones, laptops and TV's, they have developed technology fatigue. They want to meet with people, interact, see body language and express themselves,-at a safe social distance of course. They don't want to see their friends from the shoulders up anymore on a small screen.

Some churches are thinking outside the box and having meetings of up to 100 people all nicely socially distanced, having live music but not having the congregation singing. At the same time they are live streaming to those that couldn't make it. These churches are asking church members to book on line and register their family groupings, this to ensure everyone stays within their own family/social bubble, and to ensure that they don't exceed the designated number.

Larger churches are having multiple meetings throughout the weekend, starting on a Friday night. Other smaller churches are meeting together in smaller groups in their buildings, with all the necessary COVID 19 protocols in place.

 Sadly some churches are still too afraid to meet for fear of their older congregation members contracting the virus. This is sad because many of those older people have been shielding themselves, self isolating. This has left them lonely and sometimes depressed.

The Bible says that God has not given us a spirit of fear but a spirit of love, joy and a sound mind, in other words common sense. If we use our common sense and our ability to think through things then there is no reason why we can't meet together and "not neglect the fellowshipping together of the saints".

COVID 19 should not be feared, respected yes but understand that we have to live alongside this virus, not in fear of it. Only then can we get back to the "new normal" that people talk about.