-
HOME
-
WHAT IS STANDOur Mission Our Values Our Help Contact
-
WHAT WE FIGHT FORReligious Freedom Religious Literacy Equality & Human Rights Inclusion & Respect Free Speech Responsible Journalism Corporate Accountability
-
RESOURCESExpert Studies Landmark Decisions White Papers FAQs David Miscavige Religious Freedom Resource Center Freedom of Religion & Human Rights Topic Index Priest-Penitent Privilege Islamophobia
-
HATE MONITORBiased Media Propagandists Hatemongers False Experts Hate Monitor Blog
-
NEWSROOMNews Media Watch Videos Blog
-
TAKE ACTIONCombat Hate & Discrimination Champion Freedom of Religion Demand Accountability
Why We’re Rejoicing as Houses of Worship Reopen
In the wake of the one-year anniversary of the pandemic, communities are beginning to put together the pieces and rebuild their lives, restoring things to normal. Houses of worship are reopening across the world and offering their parishioners access, once again, to the religious communities they profoundly missed.
During the shutdown, churches were faced with a new dilemma: how do we provide religious services to our members while not congregating in person? Houses of worship throughout the world adapted, and live-streaming religious services became the norm.
I cannot speak for everyone, but I will tell you that I could not stand being away from my group—IN PERSON!
When my local Church of Scientology opened for in-person services, I was one of the first parishioners in the door. What was only one year or so away felt like a lifetime to me.
Houses of worship are reopening across the world and offering their parishioners access, once again, to the religious communities they profoundly missed.
What the pandemic showed me is that we can no longer take our faith and congregations for granted. A time may come again where we could be separated indefinitely from the real-world, flesh-and-blood, brick-and-mortar, united practice of the religions we hold so dear. As such, since our church reopened, my family and I have been even more “religious” about attending.
The mental and spiritual stress that came with this pandemic were hard enough, but being away from my church and my fellow Scientologists left me with a different kind of emptiness. It’s why the reopening of our houses of worship means so much to me and all religious people across the globe.
To continue to cope with the pandemic and protect their parishioners, churches like mine have implemented extensive prevention protocols. But what I will remember most about this moment is what reuniting after the pandemic taught me: that a sense of religious community brings a sense of joy found nowhere else.
Let’s take a breather and rejoice as things begin to move in the right direction. Houses of worship are reopening, and we can reunite with our friends and our faiths.
