A Season of Change

One of our pastors has accepted a new call. This past Sunday was his last with our congregation, so we sent him off with a blessing.

Now as we approach Spring - a season of change - we find ourselves also in a season of change at church. It will be a time of reviewing what works and what does not. We will evaluate programs and leadership. New strengths will be discovered among "old" parishioners, and newer parishioners will share talents and passions.

With any change there is work to be done. Do we not all dread "spring cleaning"? And yet every year it gets done - throwing open the windows, washing drapes and linens, trading darker colors for light. THis is all part of the process to prepare for the new season.

We celebrate the spring by changing the clothes in our closets, putting away heavier items and bringing out the lighter, brighter clothes and the sandals. All this of course requires work: laundering, checking for fit, and perhaps some shopping. Again, all necessary to be prepared for the new season.

And in the yard we must clear away branches and leaves that have fallen and accumulated in the bushes, ready gardens for flowers and vegetables, and do what is necessary to make the lawn ready for a new season.

So too it will be in this season of change for our congregation. We will check to see what responsibilities fit which leaders. Programs and ministries will need to be cleaned up and readied for new leadership.

Sometimes it is difficult to accept the change... perhaps we are not tan enough for those sleeveless and short-sleeved tops, or fit enough for those shorts. We like the warmer weather but wish we had just a little more time to prepare. And there can be unplanned challenges - there is not always unanimous agreement, or perhaps we find that something needs more attention than we thought.

With the changes in our congregation we may also come upon times when we wish there was more opportunity to prepare. God's time is not always our time - we must always be at the ready to move to the next season in order to be where God wants us and doing what He needs us to do. Of course to make it work, we must always put His plans ahead of ours.

I hope you will pray for us in this season of change - and that in your prayers you will also ask God to keep you ready for those seasons when He needs you to change.

Prayers need feet

I have heard this song by Josh Wilson for quite a while, and really liked it. This morning I heard the story of what inspired him to write it: the Nashville floods. He wanted to help, and not just say "gee, I should pray for those poor people".

The song is called "I Refuse", and really strikes a chord in me this week because we have just hosted the local Cold Weather Shelter (CWS) at our church. The CWS allows 25 homeless men,women and children the opportunity to sleep indoors during the coldest part of the year - the end of November through March.

To handle all the needs, and to serve our guests properly, takes a concert of people working nearly around the clock for the week they are with us. Incredible planning and organization goes into the process, and orchestration is like a symphony as the week unfolds. Meals are prepared and served by small groups; volunteers do laundry and pack bag lunches; activities and entertainment (videos, tv, books, newspapers) are made available; guests are able to take showers and baths and enjoy as much of a homelike environment as is possible in a church building. Every night four adult volunteers stand sentry - staying awake from 10pm through 7am - to ensure that guests are safe.

Having the guests with us at Christmas offered both challenges and opportunities. The holidays always mean those who might normally volunteer may be out of town or otherwise committed to other activities. By the same token, it meant the opportunity to create a wonderful Christmas for the guests. On one evening, Christmas cookies were baked and the guests were invited to help. One night Christmas trees were decorated (one large one in the main hall and smaller ones in each room). On Christmas the guests were allowed to sleep in a bit if they wanted, and a family-style breakfast was offered. Later a traditional Christmas dinner was served.

So where does the song come in? The people of our congregation could simply have chosen to pray for the homeless guests and their needs, or they could choose to act - refuse to utter another empty prayer, refuse to stand aside and let someone else do what God called them to do... Over 300 people - members of the congregation, their friends, members of the community - chose to be involved. Totally awesome.

But what about every day? I am struck by the willingness of people to pitch in when there is a special need, while remaining on the sidelines while the everyday needs of the church are unmet. Surely they realize that just praying about the roof (or the heat, or the salaries, etc) will not fix it. Money is required to pay for the cost. Just praying will not address the need for ushers or Sunday School teachers or people to paint a room; people need to heed the nudge of the Holy Spirit that results from those prayers. It is not just other people, or the people who have always done it, who will take care of the basic chores of the church. God calls us all to do something. We take care of our own homes, and God needs us to take care of His House too.

Prayers need feet. We must all refuse not to move.
Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuGqIqbO310