Alone together: The 2020 Pentecost paradox

The Pentecost story begins with a sentence that in previous years was easily overlooked: “When Pentecost Day arrived, they were all together in one place.” (Acts 2:1, CEB). After weeks of separation due to stay-at-home orders, social distancing and quarantine, those seven words, “they were all together in one place,” have renewed significance.

While the thought of being together for Pentecost worship on May 31, 2020, sounds good, for many of us it will be impossible. We’ll have to settle instead for celebrating online, using Zoom, Facebook, YouTube or some other remote option as we have since March.

We won’t see the red paraments in person, join the kids in singing “Happy Birthday” to the church during children’s time, or see our friends all dressed up in red for the day. Instead, we’ll worship from home, longing for the day when in-person worship will resume and we can again be together in one place. 

Read more at this link.