Visiting churches is one thing I like to do – especially on Sunday morning.  Usually I arrive a few minutes late, but I don’t like to be more than 30 minutes late.  (Arriving late, though, can be helpful for seeing the truth of what’s going on.  A bishop does not necessarily see the truth when people know he or she is coming.) 

Several years ago (as Presiding Elder), I chose a certain church to visit on Easter Sunday; it was to be a surprise visit to them.  However, when I arrived at 11:00 that morning, no car was in sight.  This was one of the more prominent churches on the Aberdeen-Tupelo District, so I expected to see many people.  What I learned, though, was that they had had Easter Sunrise Service, then breakfast, then went home.  The “surprise” was on me!

Since the Annual Conferences, I’ve been surprised at least twice by churches which are closed when I get there.  Every now and then I learn that people have changed their hour of service.  That’s fine.  But oftentimes, when I come upon your worship place and no one is present, I make sure to find the signs to see what it is you advertise.  If you’re worshipping only “on line” but nobody knows by your signs that you are “on line,” you could be missing someone who wants to fellowship with your church.  On my last “surprise,” the sign said “Sunday School 9:30, Morning Worship 11:00.”  And there was no other “sign” that anybody had been there at all that morning.

I’m trying hard to say to us that if we want to flourish, people need to be able to count on us to be present.  I won’t go so far as to say that we are “out” of the pandemic, but I believe that, with vaccinations and boosters and masks, we should be able to come together for worship now.  Your community needs your witness.

Bishop Lawrence Reddick