The prophet Isaiah (35:10) promises a return to the Promised Land: “And the ransomed of the Lord will return and come with joyful shouting to Zion, with everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”
Jeremiah (31:17) reassures his people, “There is hope for your future,” declares the Lord, and your children will return to their own territory.”
When General of the Army Douglas MacArthur pledged to return to the Philippines as he evacuated the islands early in World War II, he was reported to have said: “I shall return.”
Actor Arnold Swarzenegger as the Terminator promised, “I’ll be back!”
The Rev. Lonnie Lacy, rector of St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Tifton, Georgia, had been looking forward to seeing “Hamilton” in Atlanta with his daughter for months. But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the performance they had tickets for was postponed until next year. So when a recording of the Broadway musical started streaming on Disney+ earlier this month, they watched it together. When King George III started singing “You’ll Be Back” in his flowing robes, Lacy got an idea.
“I thought, ‘You know what? I have a cope that looks just like that,’” he told Episcopal News Service, referring to the cape-like vestment priests sometimes wear for special occasions.
He decided to rewrite the song – in which King George orders the American colonies to stop rebelling—to remind his parishioners that their church will be waiting for them when the pandemic ends. It was the perfect number to use in the annual parish talent show (which, like everything else, has been moved online).
The song-and-dance routine has been viewed almost 300,000 times since it was posted on July 25.
“What I have discovered is there is such a hunger to be back together,” Lacy told ENS. The video is “a little humorous word of hope, a promise that God is going to get us through this. There is going to be another side of this, and we will get back together.”
Father Lonnie has reminded us of something we all need to hear and believe—pandemics don’t last forever. Though we have been separated and out of our building for nearly five months now, the church has not ceased to be. We have only been deployed. Remember Jesus promised, “Lo, I am with you always…”
Thank you for maintaining your commitment to God’s work during this crisis. Please continue to stay connected to Hurstbourne through our virtual services and opportunities to stay engaged. We will return better and stronger than before. But, until we are “back,” stay connected.
In the meantime, to lighten your spirits, sing and dance along with Father Lonnie! You can find his video on YouTube—Dancing Priest Does Hamilton “You’ll Be Back.”
Blessings upon you! Stay safe! Keep the faith! We’ll be back!
Agape, Mike