We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
Finally, back to church normally. It felt like coming home. Yes, packed to the current max allowed. No coffee hour yet, but the hugs in the aisles were, as it were, not COVID-phobic.
2/3rds of my kids got to their churches today too.
Our church was back to full time services with coffee break on May 15. No masks. A couple of Covids. Lot of new faces as most churches not in session. In western Michigan.
Sadly, our current pastor is a Covid-fearing social justice warrior, we will not have in-person services for some time yet as she keeps moving the goalposts. I'm tempted to make at least a temporary change of congregations, on the grounds that this too shall pass. Our family has been five generations at that congregation, so reluctant to move unless totally necessary.
Any chance you are United Methodist? That sounds like the sjw stuff they have been preaching for a while..........why we left the church, not Jesus and God.
You can be sure that nearly nobody in that congregation comes anywhere close to believing the words in that hymn. UCC churches are light years away from the good news of salvation thru Jesus Christ the Lord.
Here in our Anglican diocese, everything is shut down. Do think on the comment about the Anglican bishops in 1660s England before Charles II was restored to the throne as written in Robert Neill's "Crown and Mitre": "Episcopi Angliani semper pavidi. That's the taunt we hear - always timid - and I fear it's true." Sadly, it true today. Our priest sent us some ashes in a baggie so self-anoint on Ash Wednesday, as well as a palm cross as it is obvious our parish isn't in a hurry to open up.
We're beginning to think of looking elsewhere to less fearful parishes.