By Cathy Kissner — Fairplay, Colorado … Who would have thought in December 2019 that by Spring 2020, we would be holding church on Zoom and school online for the gamut of education, from the doctoral level to kindergarten? Or that Zoom meetings would be a daily occurrence for those working from home. Who could have imagined that many would be ordering groceries from their favorite store and having them delivered to their doorstep or that we would be sewing and wearing face masks?

Our normal has shifted. Now, technology offers the main safe method of contact, whether that be for church, school, work, or just keeping in touch with family and friends.

Learning to worship by Zoom has been a gigantic step for some in our faith community, but big steps have been taken and some quick learning has occurred. Let me introduce you to Fairplay, a small mountain community at an elevation of 9,953 feet, the fifth highest elevation for an incorporated town in the State of Colorado. This little church has an average attendance of 5-9 members, one of whom is tech-savvy. With his help, the little Fairplay Church has moved into the 21st Century of technology. “He has been very patient as he guides us through the ins and outs of this program. We now have Sabbath School and church service together each week. What a blessing that is,” commented Cherie, one of the members there. “Now we can see each other and actually visit and have our service.”

Prayer meeting is also being held regularly Cherie also commented, which was in hibernation “for many years due to their widespread locations around Fairplay. Using this Zoom technology, we are happy to see and talk to each other on Wednesday evenings and plan to continue this when life returns to how it was before.”

It will be a new normal from now on. They plan to alternate leadership for the prayer meeting. “This online gathering has helped so much, since we missed seeing each other regularly. It is so good to see and hear each other’s news using Zoom. God is so good and gives us the answers to our prayers in amazing ways,” Cherie concluded.

Cathy Kissner is RMC Adventist Community Services director; photo by Katy Young