Today's word is FELLOWSHIP.
It has been 9 months since pre-Covid life. And as much as it sucks, we are adjusted to living an isolated existence in order to stay alive { and keep other alive} for the New Year.
Loving others means limiting in-person contact. It is hard to see the ending of this necessary isolation,
Humans are social creatures-- even we introverts! Pandemic Season grates on all of our hearts--- as even the little amount of fellowship we allow is altered to keep everyone safe. While I am grateful for the small amount of in-person fellowship Brian and I enjoy--- my heart longs for post-Covid times when we may gather together safely.
Maintaining relationships using only online media is exhausting. I've learned that I must limit my Zoom & Facebook Live time to prevent tech burnout. I've discovered that the Daily Offices that my church offers twice each weekday soothes my soul and helps me " keep time". Big Zoom meetings frustrate and sadden me, especially when all but the speaker{s} are " muted" & the chat feature disabled. Of course I know that this is necessary to keep all from talking at once, but it still makes my heart sad.
I majored in Communications in college, so I've an academic interest in ways that people communicate during Covid. Recently I've read some studies on " Zoom Fatigue" and psychologists and experts in human communication agree that people miss a lot of nonverbal communication cues when gathering online. Most communication between & among humans is nonverbal, and when you are looking at several people in a Hollywood Squares type of format the rain tires quickly.
Tomorrow I will join a big Zoom event with people around my Diocese. It will be a " virtual coffee hour" with folx in order to celebrate our Diocese turning 50 years old. Originally, this week's agenda was chock full of wonderful worship & fellowship activities. Obviously COVID robbed us of this wonderful chance to gather in-person for worship and fellowship.
I attended the virtual Evensong last evening, with the right to " leave" if I felt overwhelmed. I stayed tuned-in until the organ's postlude. Our sister parish downtown did an outstanding jo of creating a safe sacred worship space. This evening I'm looking forward to the virtual " revival { it seems weird to use that word in Episcopal circles} featuring Presiding Bishop Michel Curry and Bryan Stevenson, of Equal Justice Initiative fame. Again, I reserve the right to check out for a few minutes if I feel overwhelmed by the stimuli.
We need each other--- in spite of and perhaps because of these weird times in human history. I am grateful for technology that allows us to have fellowship in a safe way. Yet I've learned to never take for granted the power of human touch. After all , God created us with five senses-- not just sight and hearing.
Wear the mask, so we can ALL enjoy the freedom of in-person fellowship with our communities.
Wear the MASK.
Amen.
~Sarah McCarren
4 Dec 2020
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