Last Sunday was a great day here in Allen. Anyone who ventured downtown last Sunday morning would notice that starting at the intersection of HWY 48 and Broadway, the street was closed. Big fire trucks had closed it both ways and on both ends. For those who had forgotten, last Sunday was when we had our city-wide back to church blast. Most of the churches closed down early and headed for Allen’s basketball gymnasium to have a citywide church service. Its purpose was to give the community a chance to get together and engage in Sunday worship. It was to help us get over the Covid times of low attendance and encourage everyone to get back in church. The Pandemic seems to be winding down now and no one wants the town’s churches to wind down too.

Everybody cooperated. Lots of newspaper publicity and promotion by our local churches worked. It was said that seven local churches participated in this affair. Special gospel music? You bet. Andrew Sappenfield and his band came down from Blackwell and did a great job in music worship. Good participation from the over 220 people who showed up in the gym Especially from our youth. Local announcements and “MC” duties were handled by Allen’s April Whitehead. The articulate April did a great job introducing the performers and ministers. And she did a good job of proclaiming the purpose of the special worship services. Preaching duties were handled by Ryan Young. Ryan did a great job too, preaching a very on topic sermon. I hope to hear him preach again.

After the services attendees were invited to cross the street to the Family Life Building of the First Baptist Church and get a free meal hosted by the Oklahoma Pork Council. Thanks to them for a delicious time of eating and fellowship. Games were hosted out in the parking lot and a dunk tank was in operation. I kept a low profile around that tank. I didn’t want to be recruited as a “dunkee.”

I hope this activity (the services not the dunk tank) helps get our “town’s” Sunday attendance back up. Covid has been rough on churches, businesses, and everything else. It’s time to get over all this and for Covid to go away.

Speaking of Covid, looks like its slowly ebbing in spite of the work of the anti-vaxxers. Glad we didn’t have this strong wave of “agonism” back when we were trying to get rid of measles, polio and chicken pox. And I sure hope we get rid of our superstitions about the regular flu shot. The big and sad difference is that these “edgers” now have a way to communicate their phobias and fears to others who seem to be seeking something to fear. Facebook is a good example of a vehicle to shoot fears and misinformation into the community and a means for these “unheard” folk to be heard. For them to get their word out.

If, as some leaders think, this is just the beginning of a series of dangerous pandemics the social media will for sure be the “antivaxxer’s” baby. All I can say to you is this, “you need to learn to depend on your health professionals and accept advice from those who have labored to become expert in these fields.” And keep this in mind: “if you are over 65, the death rate from Covid rises to one out of every 35 afflicted patients. Take care of your health.

And this: Be sure and go to your church Sunday. You need it and it needs you.

Wayne Bullard, DPh

cwaynebullard@gmail.com