Church at Home/Church - August

David has been writing most of our Covid-related stuff, including our Church-at-Home meetings. But I wanted to jump in and add a few thoughts. 

I have missed in-person church. I just have. But there has been something so incredibly special about participating in the sacrament service at home with our immediate family. Watching David prepare and pass the sacrament to our family, having my kids help clean the family room and get the table ready, having the spirit fill our home... it's all been uniquely special. 

I have been thinking about the connection between the Jewish Shabbat and the Sabbath Day. 

I watched a tv episode about the life and ministry of Jesus (The Chosen). It's a fictional story based around the scriptures in the bible to create a "How it could have been" look at the life of Christ. It's been amazing to see the characters of the New Testament come to life. I have particularly loved seeing an up-close look at the Jewish Shabbat traditions and after one particularly poignant episode, I asked our neighbors who are from Israel and who are Jewish if we could attend one of their Friday Shabbat dinners and learn more about their culture. Only Lydia and I were able to attend (Covid has us nervous and their dinner doesn't start until sundown when our kids are usually in bed). Afterward I realized it might have been culturally rude to have only two of us attend because the Shabbat is to be celebrated with the whole family - but the Avrahamis are incredibly gracious and kind people and accepted us anyway. The evening was one of the most wonderful evenings I've ever attended. Not only did they prepare a multiple-course meal but the family sat at the table the whole evening (we didn't get home until almost 11 that night). We just talked, and talked and talked. We laughed. We ate. They explained and allowed us to participate in their cultural traditions and it was just... beautiful. 

It deepened my desire to make more effort into my own traditions to connect to my Savior during my Sabbath day. As I said above, it's been so special to have David blessing and passing the sacrament to our family each week. I have realized that I can help in the preparing of the sacrament each week, too. I have started making a special mini version of the Jewish Challah bread, not as a cultural appropriation thing, but as a respectful way to connect me to the Savior. Making the effort to use this bread instead of a slice from a loaf in the fridge has helped connect me and it has made the sacrament, if not more meaningful, maybe more ... emphasized? I also am planning to get some electric candles to light each Saturday night and have glow all through the Sunday Sabbath. I want to welcome the light of the Savior into our home and that is one physical way that I can demonstrate that.

Traditions create connection - and although traditions without meaning become worthless, traditions with effort, love, and meaning can be impactful in the best ways. I hope that by cultivating these small actions in my own heart it will continue to strengthen my connection with God as well as strengthening my family as well. I hope that our children see their mother and father working together to prepare for and welcome the sabbath day - both now during this Covid pandemic where we are participating in church at our home but also after things return to normal. May we always bring the spirit into our home as we worship on Savior on the Sabbath. 

And on that note: here are some pictures of us attending church in person again for the very first time since March! Right now our ward is assigned one week per month and our congregation is split into three assigned times on that specific day. I will be honest when I say that I have been feeling a little worried about going back and having it feel different. But it was a lovely sacrament meeting and felt so good to be back in our chapel with our ward family again - masks and all.