Pastor's Blog: So Far, So Good
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One of the consequences of making do in the midst of a pandemic is doing your best not to make any glaring mistakes. Because none of us has ever traveled this particular path, we’re not able to draw from previous experience and plan accordingly. Some have likened it to building a plane and flying it at the same time, which is not an ideal plan.
Last Sunday, MBBC resumed our gathered worship after three months of suspending it. While we had done our best to exercise due diligence, there wasn’t much of a blueprint to go on, aside from guidelines and protocols handed down from public health agencies, many of which seemed to change from week to week. But we did our best to cobble together a plan that was medically and spiritually responsible, and last Sunday was our first attempt at getting that plane off the ground.
A good number of friends in other churches in other communities knew of our plans and contacted me this week to see how things went. My response to them was, “So far, so good.” That was my way of saying that while I honestly believe our efforts were a success, this is clearly a work in progress and each week will no doubt present unforeseen challenges that will most definitely keep us on our toes.
I want to express my thanks to those of you who joined us last Sunday and for how you complied with our requests to wear face coverings, maintain social distancing, and follow a host of other cues and prompts. We had a surprisingly decent attendance at both services, and the reports we have received from attendees have been universally positive.
As you are aware, coronavirus cases in Alabama and Jefferson County have seen an uptick in recent days. This uptick no doubt stems from a reopening of businesses, beaches, and other entertainment venues. Unfortunately, many who got the word that these reopenings were taking place failed to observe the guidelines and protocols patrons were being asked to observe. Consequently, the number of cases have spiked and with them the possibility of our health care system getting overwhelmed again.
I raise this concern as a reminder of our responsibility to do our part in contributing positively to the present public health challenge. I, for one, am not keen on the notion of having to see our society shut down a second time. I’m not certain we could recover from it. I’m absolutely not interested in suspending our gathered worship a second time and would only do so if the Governor and local public health officials required it. I don’t have a crystal ball and I have already confessed to my lack of experience on handling such situations, but it seems to me that this coronavirus is something that will be with us for a while and we’re going to have to learn to live with it as best we can. So, how do we do that?
This week I was reading an article on a leadership blog that referenced a principle known as “Krulak’s Law.” Knowing that General Charles Krulak, former Commandant of the United States Marine Corps and former President of Birmingham-Southern College resides here in Birmingham, I did a little research and discovered that, sure enough, the leadership principle is attributed to him. Simply put, “Krulak’s Law,” developed from his experience on the battlefield, states that “the future of an organization is in the hands of the privates in the field, not the generals back home.” In other words, it reminds us that at the end of the day, the battle’s outcome depends on each of us “foot soldiers,” not the experts in downtown Birmingham, the state capitol in Montgomery, or the White House in Washington, D.C. They may offer the battle plan itself, but its implementation lies ultimately with each of us in the field.
So, thank you for how well you implemented our little plan at the church this past Sunday. While winning one battle doesn’t guarantee victory in a war, no defeat ever serves its cause either. We must be vigilant, focused, and determined moving forward. And the same holds true in our broader public engagements. Setbacks in the public realm will only exacerbate the challenge in our church.
We will get through this season. But it will require each of us doing his or her part to win the day.
Yes, so far, so good. What remains to be seen is something you get to decide.
“Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD” (Psalm 27:3-4).