[I should explain the Batmobile. I'm a Mazda Miata aficionado, and I just love driving around in these little convertible roadsters, going through the gears, and seeing the countryside. For about eight years, I owned an original 1990 NA model, bright red, it was. What fun! Then, since moving back to the North Hills to serve St. Paul's, I found that driving the little red Miata the 16 miles to the church and back from my home, was putting too much mileage on it (it already had 240,000-plus) and on its slowly failing ragtop. So, last Summer, I sold it to a friend for his wife, and I bought a 2008 NC model with a power retractable hard top, that is great for enjoying "roadster driving" and commuting to and from church! Since it is jet black, I christened it the Batmobile. There you have it.]
I like being home. After spending almost 30 years in church provided parsonages, with neutral beige carpeting and neutral walls, we now own our own town home. And while it, too, has beige carpeting, we've gone nuts with some nice accent walls and decorated just the way we want. It really feels like home. However, working from home is creating more cognitive dissonance than I would have expected. You see, when things are normal, I work at the church in a well-appointed study, preach in the cozy and inspiring confines of the St. Paul's sanctuary, teach Disciple Bible Study in the Disciple Room, and meet church folk in all manner of places, from their homes, to the hospitals, to the coffee shop. NOW, when things are NOT normal, I'm doing all of that from my house. The place that I used to come home to after a busy day of ministry--often coming home after 9:00PM, with studies and evening meetings--is now the same place I'm working. It's messing with my head, if you know what I mean. My guess is many of you are having the same trouble? I'm finding it hard to separate the two "pieces," and while typically, church folk have been wonderful to not call me at home, unless they have an emergency, now we are strongly encouraging this. The boundaries between home and work are temporarily gone. I make tons of calls, send texts, answer emails, all from the same "space" I usually use to relax and distance myself from all of that. Please know, friends, that I'm thrilled that we are able to continue to be present to our congregation through all of these means during the COVID-19 quarantine, and I wouldn't have it any other way, but psychologically, it's still a challenge, and we've got at least four more weeks to go. It certainly could be longer, as we will follow the CDC guidelines, and our paramount goal is to keep everyone safe and well! All that to say, please call, text, or email me if you have a need, or just need to chat! But if I sound different than when you reached out to me at the church, it may be because I'm needing to switch gears.
Then, there's the computer, GoToMeeting, and Zoom. Virtual ministry has taken some real getting used to. At first, it was pretty cool, that we could hold church meetings, lead Bible Studies, and even host a "Coffee Hour" over one of these "conferencing" programs. We could see and hear each other, and believe me, with this homebound quarantine, I'm really missing seeing all of "the folk." Seeing one another on the computer is a poor substitute for in-person fellowship, but it's certainly better than NOT seeing each other at all. However, staring at a computer screen, trying to use my Myers-Briggs "intuition" through flat glass and electrons, is also messing with my mind. Extroverts don't do well visiting through "windows." On the plus side, however, we have found that new folk are joining us for some of these virtual events, and I'm guessing its because it is far less threatening to sign on to a screen full of faces that are no different than your face on the screen, than entering a room full of strangers for the first time. This unexpected development is thrilling! It, along with how the virtual interface has given some quieter people a new boldness to speak out, has more than made up for the weirdness of meeting this way. Oh, and it's not just St. Paul's stuff we're doing virtually. Our District Superintendent, Rev. Dawn Hand, is holding weekly virtual meetings with all of the pastors in the Pittsburgh District at 8:30AM on Tuesdays. We pray, get the latest dope on what's going on in the Conference, hear what the Bishop is up to (or wants US to be up to), and generally "check in" with each other. Frankly, I find this more meaningful than the quarterly in-person meetings we had been having. Maybe the virtual meetings will continue? I should suggest this to the District Superintendent.
Our livestream and recorded "Worship Moments" have been generally well-received by Yinz. I must admit, though, it's still pretty strange leading even this subset of "worship" to an empty room and in front of a small video camera. The first two weeks, when Pastor Karen and I could be in the sanctuary with the Tech Team and Alaine, our organist/pianist, it was at least easier, because we could interact in real time. When the quarantine sent us all home, we each do our separate pieces, and these are uploaded to Facebook and YouTube. I have been doing the live-streaming part from my living room, which again is a weird boundary to cross. But it's what we must do, if we want to stay in touch with the great folk of St. Paul's, continue to offer affirmation and spiritual inspiration, and keep you informed as to what is going on, church wise. Again, there is good news. The equipment we had donated to allow us to do live-streaming, and the experience we are gaining with it, will allow us to continue to live-stream our regular worship services when we return to normal. We might even be able to live-stream Summer's Chapel in the Woods services! Who knows? How true it is that out of the unexpected challenges of life, new life may be brought forth. We pray for it, we work for it, and we hope for it, don't we?
Then, there's this. The latest in social distancing is the mask we are now supposed to wear when we must venture forth to the grocery store or the gas station. Dara and many of her friends from "Stitching Together" have been making masks for several medical and care-giving organizations, with wise counsel and aid from some of our medical personnel who are members at St. Paul's. I, of course, am a guinea pig in this photo, but the double mask with a built in filter fits, and it is the one I will wear out in public, even if the elastic on it makes my ears look a little like Stephen Colbert. I encourage all of you to pick up on this. Lots of folks have begun making simple masks for public wear, and the CDC is even suggesting a homemade mask from a bandana might provide some simple protection. And, as you have been hearing everywhere, don't go out if you are ill! If you have a need one of us can help you with, call. But don't risk your own health, or that of others by leaving your home sick, unless it is to the doctor or the emergency room.
Well, I've rambled enough for this installment of the Quarantine Chronicles, I guess. I close with a reminder that we are praying for you, our nation, and the world. May the grace and healing touch of God go forth, healing our land, keeping you safe and well, and bringing about the "new life" of normalcy, once again. It may indeed be a new normal, with many lessons learned about how to handle communicable diseases, and how to better understand and form the priorities of life and love. Be at peace, friends, be well. And don't stare at that screen for too long! Shalom!
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