Many things have changed since COVID-19 became a reality in our lives. One is church: How we do church, who participates, and what it looks like. Over the weeks our church has slowly evolved to a Zoom-based format. This week we took communion for the first time since Stay Home, Stay Healthy started.

For me, the few minutes we spent hearing those familiar words — this is My body, broken for you… — and taking the elements brought me closer to a sense of community than I’ve had in months. I thought about all the Christians all over the world still doing this in all their different ways, and all the Christians over time who have done this in innumerable different circumstances, and for a moment I saw us as a tiny part of a huge group joined by bonds deeper than just physical proximity. And I felt, in that moment, that we were together, more than just our church, but all people who love and follow Christ. It blessed me.

Especially in this time, when our divisions feel like oceans uncrossable and our differences seem like walls unbreachable, anything that reminds us of our connection and shared humanity can only be a good thing.