March 3, 2020: An important day in North Carolina.
This is the day we heard about the first confirmed COVID-19 case in our state, and the day life changed forever.
Since then, we have seen more than 865,000 positive tests, and more than 11,000 people in our state have died from the virus.
Strange words suddenly became part of our daily lexicon: social distance. Flatten the curve.
We wore masks for daily tasks. Many have stopped embracing family members who do not live in the same household.
Soon schools and church sites became empty – as were our sidewalks, restaurants and streets. A certain loneliness ensued. And sad.
Because before March 2020 was over, people in our state would die.
One of the first North Carolina people to claim the virus was an employee of the city in Raleigh, a man in his mid-30s named Adrian Grubbs.
“It all happened so fast,” his wife told us. A loving man, a devoted father. ‘
North Carolina’s first COVID case was in Wake County
The first case in North Carolina was a man living in Wake County
At home that evening, Pastor Wolfgang Herz-Lane of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Cary watched the news.
Our state’s patient zero was among its flock.
“I get a call from my member saying, ‘Well, the man they’re talking about on the news – it’s me,'” Herz-Lane said.
“Of course we talked a little bit about it and prayed together,” he said.
He says some aspects of life will never become normal again.
“I am convinced that this pandemic has changed things for the better,” he said.
And here we are a year later: our faces are still masked, a pulpit is still empty.
His services are still virtual.
“Since that first day, we have had to turn around overnight and stop personal worship services,” he said.
Pastor Wolfgang, as he is known, hopes to bring back personal services within a few months, but the streaming will continue.
He believes the pandemic has brought people together.
“In a spiritual sense and a common sense, we really got closer to each other, and we stayed in closer contact through Zoom meetings and through the lively stream worship,” he said.
The man he had been praying for over the phone a year ago has completely recovered. He wants to remain anonymous.
If another spring begins now, a pastor sees a season of good news.
He received his COVID vaccination a few weeks ago.
What will this year hold?