Unprecedented times lead to a lot of changes. There are some things, however, that should stay the same. The assembly of the saints on the Lord's Day is one of those precedents. During the coronavirus crisis of 2020, thousands of churches stopped assembling together. The biblical duty of gathering together was temporarily put on hold; the essential nature of the gathering of the saints was called into question.In Essential Service: Coronavirus and the Assembly of the Saints, Chris Hume seeks to show that the gathering of the church is indeed an essential service, vital for the life of believers. Hume lays a biblical foundation for continuing to meet, showing how doing so is not only our duty, but is also for our good and in accord with the Christians who have gone before us. The book makes application to the coronavirus crisis of 2020 and also looks beyond that pandemic. The revised edition (Feb 2021) includes an appendix on whether pastors should require face masks and social distancing.