On Zoom church

The last two church services we had were held on Zoom.

A lot of churches have been using Zoom and other similar applications to meet and fellowship during this quarantine period. Of course, with anything new, the first reaction is often, “Oh no. This is terrible. It’s different to how we always do church.”

Change often brings uncertainty, which creates anxiety and unease and perhaps even some fear. And of course, meeting and having fellowship through Zoom did have some drawbacks. We weren’t able to shake hands or hug anyone, it was difficult to just hang around and chat before and after the service, and there were the usual technological frustrations to do with poor sound and Net connections and so forth.

But, even so, there was something very wonderful and joyous about seeing all our brothers and sisters, together in our isolation. The novel coronavirus may have separated us physically, but the bonds of God’s family cannot be broken.

During a “normal” church service, everyone sits and faces the front, looking at 1 or 2 people who speak or lead worship. So for most of the service, people are looking at the backs of other people’s heads. However, with Zoom church, everyone’s faces are beautifully visible in small squares of video, like a patchwork quilt of shining eyes and smiles.

For me, doing church on Zoom reminds me that the people are the church. On Zoom, we have no piano, no pews, no after church snacks, and none of the external trappings which are very nice but can distract us from the true meaning of fellowship.

On Zoom, there is just you and me and the Lord.

Essentially all that is important.