Since first learning about geography in elementary school, I have always been fascinated by the physical features of the earth and its atmosphere. For a child who was identified as hyperactive and easily bored, I was absolutely mesmerized when I learned from my teacher about plate tectonics. The geography of our planet is truly amazing and I'm still learning about it every day.
In my childhood I grew up with an understanding of church as very localized in specific geographical places. My small town that was a bedroom community to the larger city of Corpus Christi was where everybody in our church lived. If you were a member of my childhood church, you undoubtedly lived in our town as well.
I have learned a lot during the Coronavirus pandemic about the geography of church. I have learned that the folks I see in our church directory who no longer live in Fairfield Glade still view themselves as members connected to our church family.
This has really come to light with the expansion of our worship service being available outside of Fairfield Glade by audio-video recordings that are on our church website, YouTube, and Facebook.
I have been very delighted to communicate with those members of our congregation who moved away from the Glade but are now for the first time since doing so watching our worship services online.
Even though watching a video recording of the service is not the same as attending physically in our church building on Snead Drive in the small "town" of Fairfield Glade, I have been overwhelmed hearing the joy and gratitude of our church members who have been socially distant well before there was ever any mention of a thing called Coronavirus.
While Community Church is officially located at 521 Snead Drive, that is simply an address and center point. The reality is that our church extends well beyond Fairfield Glade. Our church is in Georgia, Florida, Michigan, and Minnesota, just to a name a few of the places where church members told me they are enjoying our worship services and feeling more deeply connected now more than they ever have since moving out of the Glade.
This is a geography lesson I will remember for a long time.
