Brothers & Sisters,
I pray that this communication finds you well and safe in the Lord.

It appears that, for the first time, we might…MIGHT…have a little more clarity about if/when the church doors will reopen. Governor Newsom spoke yesterday and discussed four stages, of which everyone is now in the 1st stage (“stay at home”). Stage 2 involves re-opening lower risk facilities—which includes schools, childcare facilities, warehouses and offices.

Stage 3 is the stage we as a church are most interested in, as the governor specified that this stage includes “in-person religious services.” It will be at least several “months” away—whereas schools (in Stage 2) might reopen by summer. So, let the speculation begin: will churches reopen by September? I would hope a lot sooner, but that is my interpretation of the governor’s pronouncement. Of course, it all depends on how the “curve” goes—rising, flattening or (hopefully) falling. There are a few good signs these days—thank God.

Of course, reopening a church is not necessarily all-or-nothing—it will happen in phases. Again, we are still speculating, and as we follow the lead of our federal, state and local leaders, we will begin planning for re-entry as a church and how it will look to each of you. We will keep praying for wisdom from the Lord.

Stay tuned for further updates.

I’ve been reflecting lately about hands. Yes, literal hands—those things we shake with, wave with, cook with and basically do everything with. The Apostle Paul used the hand as part of the overall analogy of the Church as the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:14-15, 21)…that the hand is no more or less important in the human body than the foot or the eye or some other less presentable part. The hand is also a literal picture of fellowship (Galatians 2:9)—that the grasping of hands and the use of hands to touch and show affection for others is an essential part of the human experience.

Today, for the first time in my life—I view my hand as a dangerous and even life-threatening part of me! I see the posters all the time, reminding me to (1) wash or sanitize my hands often, (2) avoid touching my face with my hands, (3) avoid shaking hands with others. Sometimes when I meet a neighbor in person, my first inclination is to go forward and extend my hand to shake the other as a gesture of friendship and warm greetings. But, I need to fight against that and remind myself, “Don’t do it; I might accidentally kill him (or vice versa)!”

I suppose this too is biblical…at least in a metaphorical sense. The Psalmist writes: Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not appealed to what is false, and who has not sworn deceitfully (24:3-4). The picture is of an evil man who has the stain of sin and guilt (blood?) on his hands. That man should not think that he can ascend the hill of the Lord and stand in His holy place.

It is a good lesson to remember that as our hands can be infected with bacteria and viruses (and the experts say there is no doubt they are), our hands are also symbolically unclean before the Lord. Which one of us can say that our spiritual hands are unsoiled and pure before God, so that He would want to shake and hold our hands?! None of us! Just as we would look at a dirty man’s hands and avoid him like the plague, so also does God look upon our “unclean hands.”

Is there any soap or sanitizer strong enough to wash away the stain of sin? “Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” Thank you, Jesus, that because of your precious flow my hands are washed clean—my garments made whiter than snow. Thank you, Father, that because of Jesus’ blood, You want to grasp my hands and lead me in the way everlasting!  

I long for the day when our literal hands will no longer be viewed as something inherently or potentially dangerous…yes, still bacteria-laden and still in need of frequent washing and sanitizing, but not SARS-COV-2 dangerous. I long for the day when I’ll be able to shake hands with someone and not worry, “Did we just doom each other to the coronavirus disease?” I long for the day when the warm touch of a hand will be received as friendship rather than fear of infection. Oh, what a day that will be! When that day comes, and the church doors re-open, I will still stand there and warmly offer to shake your hand, but I will not be offended if you decline or if you immediately sanitize right afterwards! I will be doing the same. 

Extending virtual hands of love,
Pastor Godfrey