From the General Presbyter

“I Guess You Guys Aren’t Ready For That Yet. But Your Kids Are Gonna Love It.”

In the 1985 movie Back to the Future, Marty McFly travels back to 1955, accidentally interfering with his parents’ courtship and now, must make them fall in love… or else he will never be born. The above line is spoken at the end of the movie when Marty plays Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” for a 1955 audience that isn’t ready for rock ‘n’ roll.

Most of us were not ready for these restrictions imposed by the Governor of Maryland because of COVID-19. Some of us, here in Maryland and across the country are not ready to stay under these restrictions for another month. We are not ready to stay out of our sanctuaries. But… our kids are gonna love it! Especially in the church!

They will appreciate how we discovered the online worship that uses technology, video and graphics not visible because the church didn’t want to have a screen in the sanctuary. They will be grateful for the opportunity to invite a broader community to their church. They will be inspired by our community activism emerging or increasing in response to this economic crisis. And they will love to worship in their PJ’s!

They will appreciate having their parents and grandparents healthy. That is the single most important reason why, as the Episcopalians say, we are not yet re-gathering. COVID-19 cases are not declining in our state and are now spreading in rural areas. We are not yet in Phase I.

We are however, in the phase when we can decide how to engage our communities at the same level we have learned to do while in this pandemic. We are in the phase where we can increase our knowledge of technology. We are at the phase where we can determine ways to stay safe and “gather” in and out of our buildings. If we become this church… our kids are gonna love it, and so will we!

Blessings,
Jackie