We’re excited that our children’s, youth, and groups ministries can now resume meeting in person. On Sundays over the past month, it’s been such a pleasure seeing familiar faces and meeting new people. After having online church for so long, it’s much better when we’re together. If you’ve been part of any of our ministries in the past, we warmly encourage you to join us in person.

God’s people are given this exhortation, ‘let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching’ (Hebrews 10:24-25). Christians have always been people who put a priority on meeting together. We need one another. It’s impossible to thrive in the Christian life on your own.

Part of our identity as God’s children is that we’re also part of a family. The physical gathering is both a reminder of that identity and a means by which we all grow in faith and godliness. That means, as we come to church, Kidzone, Youth, or to a small group, we’re doing something extraordinary. As we sing and pray, listen to the Word and share the sacraments with our brothers and sisters, we are displaying and reminding each other our identity: we’re people brought together by the blood of Jesus Christ.

As we exercise the proper health precautions in our gatherings, we’re aware that church is not the same as it was before this pandemic. For some of us, maybe there’s a reluctance to return to our former church routines. Maybe you’re a bit nervous about gathering with other people or bringing your kids to church. Maybe you’re used to the habit of doing church online from home. Getting back into the habit of coming to church may take some time. That’s ok. However, please don’t get used to living the Christian life on your own. Prayerfully consider your part in our community.

One of the great promises of scripture is Jesus’ words to his disciples, ‘where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them’ (Matt 18:20).