Worshipping at Home, as we attempt to keep ourselves and others safe, is a new experience for us. Participating in the weekend and midweek worship services keeps us connected with our church family and gives us spiritual strength. To prepare for and support your times of worship during quarantine, you may want to create a sacred space or home altar, to provide focus during worship and other times of prayer or devotional reading.

Will you worship in your living area with a computer screen on the coffee table, in your home office, or perhaps the kitchen table with your smartphone? Choose the regular place where it will be best for you to worship and find a small location nearby that can serve as your sacred space. 

Do you have a cross, an icon, photograph, or a collection of shells and rocks that have meaning for you? Walk through your home and gather those simple objects that now or through the years have drawn you into spiritual reflection. Then, add a candle and your Bible or prayer book. You might use a cloth napkin to spread out and define this designated area.

When you are opening or closing your day with a breath prayer or seeking solace with a psalm or scripture passage, use your designated space as you would a sanctuary, entering and expecting to pause, pray, and ponder. Prior to joining virtually for worship, arrive at your sacred space, light your candle, and spend time meditating to prepare, just as you would in the sanctuary. We will be back in our sanctuary one day, but for now, just as Abraham did, let’s build an altar where we are camping.