We at First Presbyterian Church here in Pauls Valley care about each other. We are made to be in relationship with other people. Because we care for each other, and because we are made to be in relationship together, we crave being together. One of the insidious things about this pandemic is that there are many reasons to keep away form other people. If we have symptoms (of Covid or any other transmissible sickness, for that matter), we should stay away from other people. Because Covid is sometimes transmissible before we know we have it, if we have been exposed to someone with Covid, we should stay away from other people. If we know we have Covid, we should definitely stay away from other people. In these cases we stay apart from other people precisely because we care for them, but this answers the "why" question, but it still leaves the question How can we be community if we have to be apart?
The start of one way to stay in community is to watch the worship service on live stream on our Facebook group. When you're not with us, we miss you, but you can stay connected by experiencing the same thing. Watch it live if possible so you experience it at the same time as the rest of our community, but if you watch it later, that's ok, too.
If you pledged a regular offering for 2022, you can still support your community by mailing in your offering for Sundays you have to miss.
Another thing you can do to stay connected is to let us know what's going on so we can pray for you. Being apart doesn't mean you don't get pastoral care from us. Our praying for you can help you feel connected to us, but also helps us feel in contact with you while you have to stay away.
Keep each other in mind in these trying times. While Covid may keep some of us apart, nothing can keep us from continuing to care for each other. Also, while we're apart, remember that Christ died and was raised and ascended into heaven, but at the same time, "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39 NRSV), and "we love because God first Loved us" (1 John 4:19). We are connected in God's love and no Covid can separate us.
Pastor Chas