It’s been 18 months since I’ve seen some Joy folks in person. That list keeps shrinking with hospital visits, driveway visits, running into folks at funerals or the grocery store, and more. But it’s been a hard period of physical separation.
I’m cautiously optimistic that we’re on the backside of the so-called Delta wave. But we’ll continue to have different risk profiles—older folks are still way more vulnerable, even fully vaccinated—and different tolerances for exposure, even as we’re told this is transitioning from a pandemic to something more inescapable but less worrisome.
Somewhere in the middle of all that, we’ve weathered the stresses and challenges of this pandemic very well. As a community we’ve been extremely resilient—checking in on one another, and finding creative ways to meet both digitally and in person.
I’ve been amazed at our collective generosity. Joy’s finances have been stronger than I would have ever guessed with so many physically away, and Joy folks continue to be generous with Family Promise, Jenks Food Bank, Operation Hope and many other opportunities to give.
Dozens of us have now been able to re-gather in-person on Sundays. I know not everyone is ready. Online worship is a great gift—one we may not have discovered any other way than in a crisis. But there’s something special about seeing one another face to face. I hope you’ll prayerfully consider when that time may be right for you.
Pastor Jon
