The bricks and mortar of the Church

A blessed Holy Week to everyone!

The numbers change daily, but as I write this, there have been165 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Venezuela, with seven deaths and 65 recoveries in a country with a population of 29 million people according to the last census. That figure probably is lower now with an estimated 4 to 5 million having fled to neighboring nations in the wake of Venezuela’s economic meltdown. Despite the borders with Colombia, Brazil and Guyana being closed, in theory, hundreds of Venezuelans have been making their way back home, because quarantine measures in other countries have left them without jobs and income to pay high rents. Since confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been much more numerous in these other countries, the returning Venezuelans are likely to have been exposed.

Nobody that we know has been stricken with the virus, much less died, but police are patrolling the streets of La Caramuca to make sure no one is on the street without a facemask, and that people maintain a proper distance in the food markets. Access to the city of Barinas has been restricted. The slaugherhouse, which is the major source of employment in La Caramuca, is still in operation, but with hours per week greatly reduced (agriculture is the major industry in our state, Barinas, with an emphasis in livestock production).

We suspended our annual Palm Sunday street procession and marked the first Sunday in Holy Week with the service of morning prayer. We always have celebrated the Eucharist every Sunday, but for the last two Sundays we have not. Since the communion service always includes the sharing of the peace, and morning prayer does not, we made this change to mimimize physical contact. I also am not greeting people at the door until it appears the worst of the pandemic has passed. The members of our small flock all see each other every other day of the week anyway, and we do not expect visitors until the crisis is over. If and when the virus appears in our surrounding community, it is unlikely that it will be spread through our Sunday morning gatherings. And the people continue to show up. But we will take some precautions.

Living stones

“You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5

Sometimes it is said that the church is not a building, but people. Ŧo precise, it is ŧħe assembly of believers gathered around the Word of God preached in its purity and the sacraments administered according to the Lord’s command (Augsburg Confession, Article VII). Since the church on earth exists in three dimensions, and the living stones of the spiritual house are creatures of flesh and blood, and the sacraments consist of visible elements linked to God’s Word, this implies a physical place where God’s people meet. A house of brick and mortar (or whatever building material is available) that is an image of the spiritual house.

The preaching of the Word is proclamation, seed cast throughout the field (Matthew 13:3-23; Mark 4:3-20; Luke 8:4-15). It is broadcast to all who have ears to hear. So it makes sense to extend public preaching through a PA system, the radio, television or the Internet. But the sacraments are incarnational; the infinite is made finite in baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The grace of God is made particular to each believer, but normally not to each believer in isolation, but in community. As the sacraments can be seen and touched, as the words of confession and absolutions must be heard, there must be a solid house of prayer and worship. The house of God’s people is God’s house, and its doors must be kept open for those who seek a place of refuge. Amen.