This op-ed has been making the rounds in many clergy and church circles lately. I commend it to your reading and I pray it helps folks understand the deep and continuing conflicting pressures our clergy and elected lay leaders have been under over the last 19 months.
What is interesting to note is this person writes from the perspective of an Episcopal clergyperson who in 2020 could rely on their bishop to make many of these decisions (regarding opening/closing worship etc…) for them. Our NT-NL Synod, ELCA clergy and ministry leaders did not have that to fall back upon. Lutheran polity does not allow for the bishop to control parish life in that way. While I gave a great amount of counsel, both written and in conversation, they could not simply rely on the authority of the office of bishop.
So I think our clergy/authorized leaders especially should be commended for their resilience in 2020 when unlike what the author says here, the answers were not straightforward, And also to give thanks for the elected lay leaders who have discerned and stood with them in divisive and fractured times. Then finally to work towards understanding, patience, and learning again how we are community in this time. As our 2021 Leadership Convocation at Briarwood Leadership Center reminded us, we have been “Changed for Good.” #NTNL #InMissionTogether