To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
-Philippians 4:20 RSV
When I asked to be removed from church emails about children’s activities that required masks and pushed untested vaccines, I got the following response:
Hi Jason,
We’ll be happy to remove you from this list. Do you also wish to be removed from all church lists including the membership list?
I’m glad you’ve found a church that meets your needs and I will reiterate from my last email that you and the boys will certainly always be welcome to come and visit Mary any time you want. Simply give me a call and I’ll be here to let you in.
To be sure, I used strong language in condemning these policies and mentioned that Iron Faith Fellowship had accepted my entire family without care for our personal, and private, health choices.
I was shocked to receive an enthusiastic offer to remove my family from the church rolls. I’ve been unable to find a response for months.
Before they closed their doors to worshippers, we had spent many hours per week serving and celebrating in that building. The very week before Two-Weeks-To-Flatten-The-Curve, my sons and I slept at the church while homeless families found shelter, hospitality, and meals under the same roof. My wife’s cremains are at rest there and I haven’t visited her in years. The Griefshare meetings that may have saved my life before Lockdown were cancelled when the whole world was grieving.
They are happy to see us go. It’s hard to read that again.
My rational mind understands that we have found better places to worship and more loving communities to embrace us. I haven’t gotten one note I can think of from our *former* church brothers and sisters wondering where we have been. I can understand, but my heart continues to hurt.
I will accept their offer today. Maybe I’ll feel comfortable visiting Mary once I’m officially an outsider. Maybe it’ll hurt less once I don’t receive the email reminders from that committee or volunteer group.
Today I renew my relationship with God. A relationship that requires no building, nor pastor, to mediate it.
To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
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