For over two and a half months, churches everywhere have been "doing worship" in very new and creative manners. It has been wonderful to be a part of that process here at First Lutheran Church.

I remember very well Sunday morning, March 22. On that particular Sunday morning, a number of us gathered in the sanctuary to lead worship for the 9 a.m. radio audience (and cable TV later in the week). There were no worshipers in the sanctuary itself and, I must tell you, that was a strange sensation indeed. On that Sunday morning, I didn't know how many weeks we would be providing worship without people in the pews -- maybe two or three Sundays. It has now been over two months, and this will be continuing through the month of June.

We have a very faithful group of about ten people who serve as the "choir" and lead the congregation in singing the hymns and liturgy. It has been fun to lead worship with these folks! Since we have not had a physical offering being received during these services, the special music used during that time in worship has been rebranded as a Musical Meditation.

I have not been involved at all with worship in the New Celebration Center, but I know that they have been using faithful singers and instrumentalists for the past 2 1/2 months as well. Praise the Lord for his faithfulness to all of us!!

There have been varieties of worship everywhere during the pandemic, and there have always been varieties of worship opportunities. I think back to my home congregation—Lutheran Church of the Master in Omaha—where the senior choir processed every Sunday, singing the old favorite hymn, "Holy, Holy, Holy." Tomorrow "just happens" to be Trinity Sunday, and we "just happen" to be singing this hymn to start the sanctuary service.

We are starting a new summer worship series on Sunday entitled FACE TO FACE. This coming Sunday and Wednesday, June 7 and 10, the theme is "Seeking God's Face" so join us in one of our worship platforms as we continue to worship the Lord God Almighty.

Through the phone calls made by the church staff over the past couple of months, we have been hearing constantly how much people appreciate the online worship opportunities. When we can't be physically together, at least we can worship together on the radio or TV or the computer (or a combination thereof).

May God richly bless the worship of his people now and always!!