Photo by Aron Visuals on Unsplash

Yesterday, the congregation held its semi-annual meeting and took care of some key business of the church.  We adopted an interim budget, and we made a change to our bylaws, both actions enabling the leaders of our church to continue moving us forward.  There is no shortage of challenge before us, and we are blessed to have leaders in our midst rising to meet them.

There was very little discussion on either piece of business during the meeting.  This could signal any numbers of things.  Some had likely done their homework and agreed with the council that these actions were the best pathway forward.  Others may have objected with specifics but also recognize that there will be more opportunity to contribute to the on-going discernment of how to tackle the larger questions that continue to loom before us.  And there were likely those who place their trust in the collective wisdom of the gathered body and take comfort knowing that we’re all in this together.

Photo by Gary Bendig on Unsplash

Using the story of Daniel and the dramatic changes he was having to endure in his life, I made the following proposition from the pulpit yesterday…

“Rulers and their rules will change.  This has been a constant throughout all of history.  The more important constant to remember is that God remains God.  And God’s vision for the world also remains the same.  When the new rulers appear and new rules are made, what might serve us best is to focus our energies on keeping God’s unchanging vision before us.”

Change is in and of itself a constant. It’s likely that the pace of change serves as the truly unsettling force which trouble us from time to time.  When change happens too quickly, we may feel like we’re being forced to let go of long-treasured practices or what’s just comfortable and familiar.  Conversely, there are times when change happens too slowly, and we grow increasingly anxious that problems will never be solved, or desired improvements never made.  The church is certainly not immune to this “change is happening both too fast AND too slow” dynamic.

Today, as you wonder about the changes happening in your life, and whether they’re happening too quickly or too slowly, take time to remember there remains an unchanging force in this world.  God remains present, through it all.  And God’s vision for the world, that all of God’s people know and experience how deeply they are loved and how much they matter, will guide our pathway.

May God’s peace come to you this day.  -Pastor Peter

Let us pray… God of Love, you are with us in every transition and change. As we move your church forward with excitement and even some anxiety, we recall your deep compassion, presence, and abounding love.  May your vision guide our path.  Amen.