在新冠疫情期間，達夫跟凱蘭花了好幾個月，找尋一個適合他們的教會，一個屬靈的家。那時，許多教會為遵守防疫規定，限制了實體聚會，也令他們的尋找難上加難。他們渴望能與教會其他肢體溝通團契。凱蘭在寫給我的電郵中提到：「現在尋找教會真的很難！」在我心中，也升起一股想跟自己教會的弟兄姐妹團聚的渴望。我在回覆她的電郵中寫道：「現在要成為教會，也是很難！」在那段期間，我們的教會開始了新的事工，例如：提供食物給周圍的社區；創設網路事工；打電話聯繫每位會友以提供支持並且一起禱告。我和丈夫參與服事，同時也思考在這後疫情的時代中，我們還能做些什麼，好讓我們能成為合上帝心意的教會。

希伯來書的作者勸勉信徒：「不可停止聚會，好像那些停止慣了的人，倒要彼此勸勉」（10章25節）。初代教會的信徒面臨許多困難，或許是因遭到迫害（32-34節），或是因疲倦灰心（12章3節），他們需要一些鼓勵才能持續成為教會。

如今，我也需要這樣的鼓勵，你呢？當環境改變了你我聚會的形式，我們還能繼續成為教會嗎？讓我們靠著上帝的引領，以創新的方式彼此扶持、互相鼓勵。我們可以分享資源，發送短信表達支持，儘量參與聚會，並彼此代禱。讓我們成為教會！

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Dave and Carla spent months looking for a church home. Following health guidelines, which limited various in-person experiences, made it even more difficult. They longed for connection to a body of believers in Jesus. “It’s a hard time to find a church,” Carla emailed me. Within me rose a realization from my own longing to be reunited with my church family. “It’s a hard time to be the church,” I responded. In that season, our church had “pivoted,” offering food in surrounding neighborhoods, creating online services, and phoning every member with support and prayer. My husband and I participated and yet wondered what else we could do to “be the church” in our changed world.

In Hebrews 10:25, the writer exhorts readers not to neglect “meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but [encourage] one another.” Perhaps due to persecution (vv. 32–34) or maybe as a result of simply growing weary (12:3), the struggling early believers needed a nudge to keep being the church.

And today, I need a nudge too. Do you? When circumstances change how we experience church, will we continue to be the church? Let’s creatively encourage one another and build each other up as God guides us. Share our resources. Send a text of support. Gather as we’re able. Pray for one another. Let’s be the church.