Jim and I have attended Holy Cross Lutheran Church for about 35 years. Not every single Sunday during that time, but certainly more often than not.

That all changed in March of 2020. For exactly one year we didn’t walk through the doors of our church one single Sunday. Or any other day, for that matter, not even my pre-Covid volunteer shift in the food pantry one Saturday a month.

Thanks to Covid—and my immunocompromised status caused by my MS medication—our church attendance was restricted to watching Sunday services via YouTube. For one year. Not every single Sunday during that time, but certainly more often than not.

We were grateful for the streaming option but sorely missed communion, singing along in person with the worship team, greeting our fellow congregants.

Then, on the first Sunday of March 2021, we halted our homebound church habit. Considering the relatively decent Covid numbers in our area and the safety precautions still in place, Jim and I decided to attempt a safe step toward normalcy So we masked up and ventured back to our regular pew (we are Lutherans) to attend church service in person.

We found far fewer folks in attendance than pre-Covid services as many people still, understandably, prefer streaming church service at home for now. The smaller group worked in our favor, helping ease our own concerns about possibly sitting amidst packed pews.

Despite the half empty sanctuary, how sweet it was (quickly lifting our masks) to finally take communion, singing along in person (from behind our masks) with the worship team, and greeting our fellow (masked) congregants—with elbow bumps—after a twelve-month fast of all of the above.

Afterward, our hearts were full … and our confidence buoyed that our family—our entire family, grandkids and all (minus Tyler, who’s stationed overseas) would fare just fine attending the following Sunday, for new grandson Robert’s baptism.

We fared far better than fine that following Sunday—this past Sunday, in fact—as we and a couple dozen other masked church members witnessed, in person, three-and-a-half-month-old Robert’s holy baptism.

robert received the blessing and water on his head with nary a wiggle as godparents preston and megan looked on. (Dad patrick is there … managing wiggly benjamin just behind Mom brianna.)

James, patrick, brianna, benjamin, megan, and preston listen as pastor doug presents baptized baby robert

The occasion was a big step for our youngest family member as well as another small step for the rest of us slowly, safely scooting smidgens closer to normalcy.

On both counts, faith and hope abound.