With our extended mild spring weather now transitioning into the hot, humid Florida summer that we all dread it already feels like life is moving back to a more normal and orderly routine. The afternoon thunderstorms have begun in earnest so the parched yard grass is now growing quicker than it can be cut. Many of our friends and family have started to venture out more to public spaces and gather together in-person for fellowship and fun. Increased vaccination rates and the declining number of positive COVID cases bring more options for mask-usage and closer connections. It truly feels like the beginning of the end of the darkest days of the pandemic.

It has been just over a month since we have returned to services in the Sanctuary. It was so fitting that the first service back inside was to celebrate our seniors in our sacred shared space and lift up their achievements with joy and pride. The new UCG vaccination policy for child care and youth workers has allowed the church to broaden our children, youth and family ministry. The first steps of our return, with a toe testing the proverbial waters, gives us confidence to wade just a bit deeper while keeping our current comfort level to mid-calf. The new soft lighting and crisp sound system have given the interior a new life yet, at the same time, the beloved wall hangings that have graced the front and sides of the Sanctuary for years remind us of our history.

I have been so moved emotionally sitting with my family among my friends in faith on Sunday morning and rejoicing in our reunion in our church home. Since not all of our UCG family is able to comfortably come to the campus and so prefers to join spiritually through online viewing, we continue to light our unity candle each Sunday to remind ourselves that wherever we are on life’s journey, we are welcome here. I am looking forward to the time in the hopefully not-to-distant future when all of the children will be gathered together during their time in the service. I have loved listening to all of the musicians that have performed inside and anticipate the moment when the choir will again be able to sing to the congregation in the Sanctuary. I am most excited, however, in how we will work together to hold onto the cherished traditions and legacy that makes this church so special and to use the lessons learned from this past year to reimagine how UCG can be transformed and enriched over our next 50 years.