The Opportunities of COVID-19

The Opportunities of COVID-19
 
The Pastor’s Corner is back.  I can hardly believe that the last time I wrote one was on March 20 of this year—nearly eight months ago!  We began using a weekly video to communicate our weekly Bethel updates, and that made me think the Pastor’s Corner was unnecessary.
But I’ve learned something in these eight months.  While video is great for the urgent, “need-to-know” items, it doesn’t serve as well for the “what’s-happening-in-the-church-family,” “good-to-know” items.  Lately I’ve encountered a lot of these good-to-know bits of news but had no way to share them. 
So, the Pastor’s Corner is back—at least occasionally.  (I’ll do this one and then I’ll take it a week at a time.)
What has been on my mind lately are the unique opportunities COVID-19 is creating. I don’t have to enumerate for you the many downsides of COVID-19.  We know those all too well, but allow me to share just a couple of positive things that happened in my life because of the pandemic.

• Two different Bethel families drop off seasonal gifts to encourage Janet and me.   (We actually had St. Nick and his faithful sidekick at our door in full regalia!)  I’m sure these loving gestures were motivated, at least in part, by the special circumstances of COVID-19.
• Partly because of these thoughtful Bethelites, Janet and I have decided to give all of our neighbours individually wrapped servings of a fancy hot chocolate mix along with a word of Christmas encouragement.  It is our growing relationship with our neighbours that has made life in our neighbourhood increasingly rich, and opened the door for occasional spiritual conversations. We hope this will help deepen those relationships.

How can you spread the love and Good News of Jesus this year? What opportunities for love and witness is this pandemic opening up for you? –Pastor Tom
 

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