Vineyard Columbus has taken a cautious and prayerful approach to how we can stay connected during a time in which many of us are longing for closeness with our church community. Offerings like volunteering with food distributions, attending Midpoint small group sessions online, and attending in-person MDWK services has filled our hearts and fed our souls. We recognize how important we are to each other, and on October 11th, that sense of community was undeniable.
The Outdoor Service was an all-church effort. Much of the staff and an abundance of volunteers showed up ready to serve and to each of them, we say thank you. We were excited; excited to offer an in-person service, very excited to see each other, excited to hear a face-to-face sermon, and excited for extended worship! When that Sunday came, God provided us with dry weather and familiar faces. While socially distanced and smiling through masks, we caught up with one another. Our morning started with an energetic version of the wave, brought on by Pastor Shane Huey. Now that we’ve done it, I’m not sure why we haven’t been starting every service this way- something to think about for the future. As the worship started, people were on their feet with hands to the sky, praising Him. We sang, we swayed to the music, we clapped, and some worshipped Him from the sunroof and tailgates of their cars. As is true every weekend, our worship team did an amazing job, literally bringing some of us to our knees on the pavement.
Pastor Julia Pickerill delivered another timely message on how to be unified. She shared that Jesus modeled curiosity for us, and through that curiosity came connection. Our Outdoor Service was a reminder of that connection we can strive for, even when we are all experiencing some level of separation. We can remain curious, ask questions of those who have views that aren’t like our own, and then listen. Just listen. A portion of Julia’s sermon was reading Psalms 139 where she shared that Jesus knows us (Ps. 139:1) and is familiar with all of our ways (Ps. 139:3). He knows us! He knows what our needs are. We needed the service on October 11th. The message informed us of how known and loved by God we all are. It also informed us on how we can take steps to encourage connection with those around us. The response to prayer at the end of service was evidence of how much we were motivated to take those next steps.
As we ended by worshipping and taking communion together, there seemed to be a sense of relief. There was a visible indication that the Holy Spirit was among us. After service, I repeatedly heard, "I am so glad Vineyard did this", "I needed this so much", "It was so nice seeing everyone", and "I was so happy to be here". Our Outdoor Service was a great reminder that we are community, whether we are inside or outside of the church building. We find unity in Jesus. We will be back to meeting together soon. Until then, join us online or at MDWK service every week as we experience God TOGETHER!