Pausing to reflect on the seasons
October 2019 Newsletter Article
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted.”
–Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 (NRSV)
The seasons of our lives come in many flavors. Seven years ago this week I began my tenure as pastor of First Christian Church. Three months before that Lily had moved to Missouri to start working as professor of history at Southeast. So much has transpired in that period of time. We have gotten to know people we love in both Dexter and Cape, experienced many successes, and endured occasional tragedies.
It is sometimes hard to take in all that we have experienced since we arrived. We often get caught up in the living of life that we fail to pay attention to what is going on around us. Occasionally, it is important to slow down and reflect on the passage of time. Anniversaries and birthdays can provide us an excuse to slow down and reflect on the passage of time in our individual lives.
As a congregation we experience the same phenomenon. We are a busy and active church. The Disciples of First Christian Church stay engaged with outreach, worship, music, and Christian education. There are always things happening and sometimes the sacred busyness of religious life prevents us from taking the time to simply be with God. Christ calls us to follow him, but first we often want to go see about the fields we just bought. We tell ourselves that we are important people with things to do for the Kingdom.
Sometimes in the midst of all this activity, the seasons change without us even noticing. The leaves turn colors and the weather freshens up ever so slightly. The past several months have been a time of transition for our congregation. Many amazing things are happening, as well as some things that we would rather not have experienced. We have begun a revitalized Christian education ministry. Simultaneously, we have weathered the loss of several matriarchs and patriarchs all in close succession. We will miss them, even as we give thanks to God for the impact that they have had on our church.
Just as every time of year carries with a unique sort of beauty, we know that nothing ever stays the same. October is the start of the congregation’s financial year. It is the time that the board looks at the ministries of the church and discerns the best way to support them. We reprioritize based on where we feel the Holy Spirit is leading us in this particular season. For example, paying off the Disciple Center has given us the financial freedom to create the Christian Education Director position.
At the congregational meeting on October 27, we will have an intentional time to pause and reflect. We will look at the ministries of the church, what is working well, and what might have outlived its time. I invite you to come and join us for this important conversation as we consider where Jesus might be leading us in the next season of our life together.
