Saddleback Members Celebrate as In-Person Services Resume
04/16/2021As the sun rose on Palm Sunday and on Easter Sunday, so did the air of excitement around Saddleback Church. These were the first two weekends in more than a year that our church family could meet in person — and there was no better occasion to regather than for the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection!
“Today’s like the happiest day of my life in the last year,” said one member after returning to Saddleback for the first time since the start of the pandemic. “I’m so happy to be back at church. It’s great.”
For many, the return to in-person services was like coming home. With tears in their eyes and joy in their hearts, our members were finally able to worship and gather in fellowship with their church family once again.
The ability to watch Saddleback services online was a blessing during the pandemic, but there is nothing quite like being physically surrounded by your spiritual family. From prayer and worship, to hearing Pastor Rick’s famous saying, “Have I told you lately that I love you? — members at each Saddleback campus experienced the fullness of community in Christ.
“It’s like seeing a loved one for the first time in a while,” said one women returning to Saddleback. “You remember it so vividly.”
During the time apart, many of our members stayed connected through Saddleback small groups. Whether over Zoom or in person at a volunteer’s house, small groups were a perfect way to enjoy one another’s community during the pandemic.
“We had to have people that we could have those conversations with,” said one member. “People that we could still grow with despite the fact that we weren’t physically in church. So, our small group has been invaluable.”
Leading up to our return to in-person services, Saddleback staff worked diligently to ensure that the campuses were safe for all. The regathering process was long and strenuous, but the joy experienced by those who were able to reconvene made it all worth it.
“It was actually really emotional to be back today,” said another member. “I was just very grateful to be back on campus with our church family and listen to Pastor Rick talking. “What a great day to be back in church.”
When these first in-person services came to a close, Saddleback members of all ages, life stages, ethnicities, and backgrounds left with a unified sense not of mourning the struggles of the year before — but of hope and gratitude for a church that never closes. See you this weekend!