Here's my article for the August magazine:
Even though I lived in Liverpool for almost eight years, and I really like their music, and I even lived for a year on Penny Lane; I never once visited the Beatles museum. When I lived in Durham, most of the times I went into the Cathedral I was headed for the cafe. And although I've been here for almost nine years, I still haven't visited Gainsthorpe Mediaeval village. And I'm sure I'm not the only person who overlooks some of the wonderful things that are closest to us.
There has been a growing trend over the past few years for 'staycations' – holidays where you stay at home but do day trips to local attractions, going to the kind of places on your doorstep that we often overlook. This year of course staycations may be done more out of necessity rather than choice! One positive aspect of the COVID-19 situation is that we have come to appreciate some things in a new way, whether that's because we can't live without them (e.g. the keyworkers) or because it pains us not to have them (e.g. contact with family, friends and loved ones).
For many people not being able to go to church has been similarly painful. Doing church online has great benefits and we have learned the reality of the truth that the church is the people not the building. We may not be able to gather in the building, but the church-as-people can still gather to worship, pray and learn together, albeit virtually. However, as Amy Grant sang (or Joni Mitchell for those of an older generation!) “You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone” - we have come to appreciate our church buildings by being deprived of them.
We have learnt that the church-as-building is not just a venue where the church-as-people can gather. Of course we can and should pray at all times and in all places, but there is something special about praying in a place where people have prayed for hundreds of years – our prayers aren't heard more if they're said in church, but perhaps it is easier to feel that we are in God's presence there. The church-as-building is also a sign that God is always ready to listen to our prayers. Unfortunately, the closure of churches during this crisis has obscured this message. But just as the church-as-building being closed hasn't meant that the church-as-people can't gather, so neither does it mean that God is no longer listening.
Now we are allowed back into our church buildings, I hope we do it with a renewed sense of gratitude for them, as well as for the people who continue to maintain them. And if you are having a staycation this summer, perhaps you could make your parish church one of the places you visit!
