Community Church
By Johan Dodge
Reverend
Exhaustion, fatigue and resentment.
If I haven’t just described how you feel in the midst of COVID-19, tell me your secret. As I write this, Orange County has moved back to purple, which means a return to some additional restrictions.
How do we find ways to stay positive amidst the reality in which we find ourselves? That question was also asked by the first Christians, who were dealing with Roman occupation and persecution in the early centuries of the Christian movement.
Mark, one of the Gospel writers, records Jesus teaching his followers to “Keep Awake,” which is, of course, an untenable request. We cannot stay awake; we cannot stay hyper-vigilant. In many ways, the COVID-19 numbers as a community, as a county and as a country have been skyrocketing because at some point, we have likely each of us already reached the breaking point. We know what we should do, yet the fatigue of our hyper-vigilance gets the better of us and we make a choice that lets in the virus. So what does it mean to keep awake, if we are actually supposed to also sleep?
This Sunday will be the fourth Sunday of our extended sevenweek Advent. The theme for the year is “Carved by Grace—A Year of Good news.”
To hear this teaching as well as some worship music, tune in Sunday morning at 9:50 on Facebook live @ communitychurchleisureworld.
Those who want join the virtual fellowship need to call the church office or email leisurewccsue@yahoo.com. Those who don’t have a computer or Facebook, can call in to the phone system at (562) 431-2503 and listen to the weekly message beginning Sunday evening.
Community Church offers Communion at 1 p.m. outside in front of the church on the first Sunday of the month. The elements are pre-sealed for safety and the liturgy is part of the morning worship on Facebook. Those who pick up Communion must wear a mask and maintain distancing. All who wish to receive Communion may participate. You do not need to be a member of the church.
If you are in need without another way to address it, call the church office at (562) 431-2503.
