Maintaining Community Through COVID
A particularly funny memory I have from when I was a young and energetic 8 year old was the time I broke my front tooth right in half. I was charging down a gravel road as fast as my little legs could take me, with my parents in hot pursuit, playfully chasing me from their car. I was only 20 metres in when my foot slipped on a loose piece of gravel. I went flying up through the air, only to come crashing down face first into the ground. As I slowly picked myself up from the gravel road, I realised half of my front tooth was no longer in its place. At that moment my parents came rushing to my aid and just as swiftly began combing the area like forensic detectives in order to find my missing tooth, they knew that we only had a short window before it would begin to decay.
You see, it’s important that the tooth stays united to the body, as it’s there that it finds sustenance, nutrition and remains healthy. Once something is detached from the body (in this instance, my tooth), it doesn't take long before it can begin to decay. I wonder how often it’s the same for us in our spiritual life as Christians.
When I read Paul's words in Romans 12, I see Paul urging that as a community of believers, there is great urgency to living a life of unity under God.
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
Romans 12:4-5 (NIV)
If I am like that pesky tooth and I decide that independence from the body is of paramount importance, I will find myself detached from the very community that I am called to. Although I would then have achieved my independence, it won’t be long before I find myself decaying from the purpose I was called to, as I no longer have my source of nutrition - which I find when connected to the body.
The author of Hebrews echo’s the value of being united in community:
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:24–25 NIV
Which brings me to what I would like us to consider today: No matter the change of expression of community, the underlying importance of community remains. As we all well know by this stage, this past year has had some turbulence. COVID restrictions at different times, in different areas, has given us unusual and unforeseen challenges. And although our expression of community has likely changed and adapted according to those restrictions we’ve faced; we mustn't lose sight of the great value that community is for us as believers.
Whether you’re trying to find a spot within your church's limited numbers due to restrictions - “don’t give up meeting together”
If you find yourself not as excited about connect group because you can only meet over zoom - “don’t give up meeting together”
When you find yourself stuck quarantining inside because your state let a boat full of people in and all of a sudden there’s a spike in numbers and the government starts to panic about keeping it in control, simply remember - “don’t give up meeting together”
Excuse my paraphrasing of the text, but I think you get the point. Although this past year has likely forced us to change our expression of community, the importance has remained the same since the days it was written in Hebrews. In right community we find nourishment for our souls. In community we find accountability, we find growth, and we find spiritual maturity. In community we find Gods blessing as it functions in the unity that He calls us to.
“don’t give up meeting together”.
I pray we can let those words echo true through our lives as we continue to move forward into whatever the future holds. Let us spur one another on in love as we do so.
Braden Clingeleffer graduated from 3 years of study at C3 College in 2017, and currently works as a Youth Chaplain at Oxford Falls Grammar. With his wife, Brittany, they currently oversee youth at the C3 SYD Silverwater location. You can find him at @bradenclingeleffer on instagram.