Day 85: “Conduct in their homes some form of religious worship …”

DAY 85

Faith in the Midst of a Pandemic

A series of daily reflections for people of faith

by Rev. Robert Bayley, Interim Pastor

Patuxent Presbyterian Church, California, Maryland

WEEK THIRTEEN: SUNDAY 7 JUNE 2020

“Conduct in their homes some form of religious worship …”

“Resolved, in view of the prevailing condition of our city and the widespread prevalence of influenza … we, the Pastors’ Federation, in special assembly, do place ourselves on record as cheerfully complying with the request of the Commissioners … We furthermore recommend that our people shall conduct in their own homes some form of religious worship remembering in prayer especially the sick …” - Pastors Federation of Washington, D.C.

The Pastors Federation of Washington, DC, meeting at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, unanimously passed the above resolution. It was not, however, in response to the current coronavirus pandemic, but rather to the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1917-1918, in which a much  smaller populated capital city saw 50,000 cases and 3,000 dead, the nation some 675,000 dead and the world an estimated 50 million dead. 

In the absence of even the basic communication and technological resources we have today – made possible by satellites and the internet, and with limited radio access, most churches back then were left to encourage people to come up with ideas of their own: “… conduct in their own homes some form of religious worship.”

So now you have the Sunday service on the internet. What about the rest of the days of the week? Married or single, children or empty-nested, you can establish a pattern of daily worship for the enrichment of your soul(s) during this stay-at-home pandemic time and then beyond.

Helpful resources to get you started:

1. Ministry-to-children.com - see “How to do Family Worship” by Tommy Kummer
2. Ligonierministries.com - see Family Worship 101, by William Boekstein
3. Forgodsfame.org - a free comprehensive 21 page publication with lots of good ideas
4. Desiringgod.org - inspirational teaching by John Piper on family worship

Reflective question: What would worship look like in your home if you put it together yourself?

Reflective Scripture: Joshua 24:15 – “As for me and my house we will serve (Hebrew = worship) the Lord.”

Reflective hymn:

“Happy Our Home When God is There” – Ken Bible (1950 -     )

Happy our home when daily prayer bears every daily need;

When parents share God’s Holy Word and daily let Him lead.

Happy our home when children praise, lifting our Savior’s name;

When parents speak and show His love, faithful each day the same.