During this time of COVID-19 restrictions, one of the best “essential worker” jobs is being able to work on a family farm.

We are still able to go about most all our daily work without the fear of being an “exposer.” We can still work in our fields and gardens, and take care of the animals, mostly without wearing a mask or fear.

Selling our products may have changed a bit, but many farmers have found consumers ready to buy from the local family farm.

In the early Christian church, “All the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had. They worshiped together at the temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s supper and shared meals with great joy and generosity — all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people.” Acts 2: 44,46-47a. 

Farmers have often made going to worship a chance to get off the farm and socialize with other believers and their neighbors. In recent months, this has looked more like home church or has been limited, but remember that we have other ways of communicating now, so we can stay connected with others.

One Christmas Eve service had the Christmas Bible readings done by two farmers sitting next to their cows in the manger and feed alley of their barn.

I had a wonderful experience participating in a short-term mission trip this fall with the Fellowship of Christian Farmers. From the day eight of us flew from Syracuse, N.Y., to Orlando, Fla., we considered each other family.

We ate together, slept in the same church building and worshipped together each morning. Most importantly, we worked together benefiting a few farmers in Alabama that suffered damage to their farms (pecan groves) because of a hurricane last summer.

This experience took me back to my childhood where the quote for our dairy farm was, “Where family farms are still go.” Added to it was, “Work together, then play together.” We all worked hard, but still were able to play a few card games and relax together in the evening.

Family can be any select group that you are with on a regular basis. More so, we are adopted into the family by God. We are His children, forever. Our neighbors can be considered family if that is whom we spend time with and look out for on a daily basis.

Our churches may be doing things a bit different this year. As a family, we can help the Lord add to the family of believers and those who are being saved, and welcome them into the family.

Bedford is a member of the Mountain Valley chapter of Fellowship of Christian Farmers.