The More Things Change . . .

“The art of life lies in a constant readjustment to our surroundings.”

Kakuzo Okakura, The Book of Tea

Ask my grown children and they will tell you: I am old-school. I still buy books, I don’t “download them.” I am not, nor have I ever been, on social media. I’m not at all tech savvy.

Don’t get me wrong, I can use technology, I just prefer not to. However, because the way I prefer to do things just isn’t possible right now, I recognize I must adapt. As a result, I’ve discovered two very important things these past few weeks.

First, I’m incredibly grateful for the technology I normally resist. Trust me when I say, online worship is actually really awesome! Though one of my absolute favorite things about church is being with others, I have to say worshipping in my PJs isn’t all bad.

Last week, almost 1,400 of us worshipped together at FUMCFW. (And that number is actually higher; some people didn’t register their attendance. And we know that on average, most of the people who do register online have multiple people – usually entire families – watching on one device) So, even though we can’t worship in one space, we can still worship together. And honestly, right now, anything that brings us together feels pretty great. I’ve also become a big fan of Zoom – for meetings, Bible Studies, or devotionals – because like I said, anything that gives me a connection to people right now feels truly wonderful.

Second, as much as I have a new appreciation for technology, the other thing that’s given me joy this week are the phone conversations I’ve had with all of you. People who visited FUMCFW for the first time online. People who have been coming to FUMCFW for a little while or forever – and all points in between. And you know what? I enjoy hearing your voices. I enjoy reactions I can hear. It’s nice to have a sense of your presence instead of words on a screen via text.

It turns out that going “old-school” and calling people instead of texting or emailing is still a pretty cool way to stay connected with the important people in your life. Everyone I talked to seemed as glad to hear my voice as I was hear theirs.

So I think in this crazy time, I’m going to do my best to adapt and accept change – but I’m also going to stick with the “tried and true.”

Please join me in worship this Sunday: https://fumcfw.org/live/, to live stream one – or more – of the services. Don’t forget to register your attendance or to share this link with friends!

And, go to our website: https://fumcfw.org where you will find all kinds of ways to stay connected with FUMCFW during this time.

Please also remember that there are lots of folks out there who would really love to hear your voice, so what are you waiting for? Pick up that phone and let them know you’re thinking about them!

 

Lisa Helm, Director of Welcoming Ministries