A Time of Change

There are Scripture passages which are well-worn paths. Some of those passages which many have heard and know are John 3:16 or Psalm 23. They are well worn paths because they continue to speak to people of faith from generation to generation. Each seems to capture the beauty and essence of the Christian life and vocation. For instance, we have all been in those places in which we need the comfort of knowing God is our Shepherd in the darkest valley and God can lead us beside still waters. There is reason such passages are well remembered and well worn.

One passage, which is a well-worn path many of us are familiar, is Ecclesiastes 3:1-11. It begins, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under the sun, there is a time to live and a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted..."  We all understand this passage. Each of the experiences highlighted in that passage address moments in life. To a degree one of the most unnerving, as well as haunting, phrases of the passage are those words, "For everything there is a season..." The author doesn't say, "For everything there is a reason, but rather for everything there is a season.  In other words, for everything there is a moment in time. That moment in time isn't finality. Whatever is taking place will fade away. The time to die will fade into life. The time of weeping will wash away. The time to hate will disappear. It's not that these things must happen, but when they do, they will not last forever. On the one hand, it is indeed comforting. On the other, it means at times love, laughter, and life will fade as well. In other words, there is this motion to life, an ebb and flow of change whether in the field, the family, or the faith.  At the heart of the passage is the certainty of change. Life changes. Organizations change. Relationships change. It is simply part of life.

Certainly this is unnerving to most people. We prefer not to change. We want stability. After all stability is predictable and appears safe. It is comforting and can keep us anchored in an ever shifting world. And yet, to follow the passage's thought, "There is a time for stability." But, stability can lead to complacency as well as stagnation. The ebb and flow of life may indeed be change, which can have both a positive and negative impact.

As many of you have heard and felt, we are in a season of change within this congregation.  One change getting ready to transpire is our worship schedule and a move to multiple services. I believe the season for our blended service has done what it was supposed to do. When Clif Christopher made the change, it was intended for this Church to draw together in a time of crisis and allow the Church to heal. I think the Church has done so, and it is time for us to strike out on a mission to reach others for the sake of God's kingdom in Jesus Christ. I have prayed and prayed about it and sense this is God's desire and direction. While ground is shifting, I am confident this is the season we are to be entering at this time. While it raises anxieties and fears as well as hopes and dreams, I hope we keep our hearts laser focused on our mission. This is to be part of God's redeeming and healing work in our community. We must open every door possible to do this and be intentional about building relationships with whomever walks into our doors. We ourselves are experiencing the healing love of God. I remain eternally grateful to Jesus Christ for this work in my own life, and I want another person to experience the same.  Such motivates me to do what I must for another to experience such healing love.

With this in mind, below is the change of schedule to take place this coming Fall regarding our worship services and Sunday schedule.

​On September 15th, we will be moving to two worship services, a Traditional Service and a Contemporary Service. The schedule will be:

• 8:45 am - Traditional Worship (Sanctuary)
• 10:00 am - L.I.F.E. Groups
• 11:00 am - Contemporary Worship (Youth and Activity Center)

These changes give us an opportunity to reach out to people in our community who are hungry for God and need a place to connect with a Traditional service or a Contemporary service. Our LIFE Groups will continue to remain at the heart of our Church to help us grow in our knowledge of God and keep us accountable to serving Christ in this community. I hope you see this moment of change as an opportunity to invite another to be part of this wonderful community of faith. I certainly will. There indeed is a time for everything. May we seize this moment and see this change as a way to reach our neighbor for the sake of God's Kingdom.

Grace and Peace, 
Pastor Nathan