Have We Forgotten How to Be Together?

Oh, no! I realized that the in-person church service our family planned to attend this past Sunday morning would be starting in ten minutes and we were still in our pajamas, enjoying a leisurely family breakfast. I had forgotten that the church service meeting time was one hour earlier than the online church service that we had been accustomed to attending during the pandemic. My brain had not yet adjusted to our new in-person schedule.

I think a lot of us are experiencing similar stumbles through this time of pandemic adjustment. So, how do we learn, once again, to be together in church and small group settings? We know many Mom to Mom groups across the country are looking forward to the joy of meeting in person this fall, but that will require adjustments as we emerge from pandemic restrictions. In addition to the usual summer tasks of recruiting and training leaders, planning for childcare and ordering curriculum materials , this year we also need to think about graciously welcoming members who have had different experiences through this difficult season.

As we think about being “together again” in any church small group setting, here are a few thoughts to consider:

It’s All About Grace

Some small group participants may have difficulty adjusting back to in-person socialization—especially the introverts among us! Some moms may want to continue wearing their masks. Perhaps they do not want to be vaccinated, or their young children are not yet eligible for vaccination. Other small group members may find it challenging to show up on time or they may forget to bring their workbooks with them. Leaders can graciously respond, “We’ve already started our discussion, but please join us. Come sit next to me and I’ll share my book with you.”

Compassionate Listening

We have all experienced some level of trauma over the past year—individually and collectively. As our small groups begin meeting together, it will be helpful to conversationally “take the pulse” of the women around our tables. Consider opening your first meeting with an open-ended question such as “How did you survive the pandemic?” This will enable the women to process any pain or grief with one another. You may not get through any of the discussion questions for that lesson, but those questions are a means to an end—not an end in themselves. They are designed to spur meaningful group conversation, and sometimes the most important discussions have nothing to do with the questions listed in the Mom to Mom Member Books.

Hybrid Flexibility

Many of us have become more adept at virtual social interactions over the course of the pandemic. Some small group members may wish to continue meeting with your group via FaceTime or Zoom. You can simply place a laptop or cell phone camera at your meeting table so that remote participants feel included. This could even provide a convenient option for moms who are stuck at home with a sick child and cannot attend a small group meeting on any given week. 

This past year has been traumatic for our communities and our world but has opened possibilities for new modes of connection and community. Let’s take advantage of those additional avenues for online interaction while we focus on being gracious and patient with one another as we all learn how to be together again.