Leaning Into the Future

On Heritage Sunday last month we had a wonderful celebration of our church’s history. This year was particularly meaningful as we recognized that 20 years ago we began worshipping in the “new” sanctuary—the first service being Sunday May 1, 1994. As part of this year’s activities Rod Jordan snapped a photograph as the whole congregation stood in the chancel. This photo is being framed and will be hung in the church soon.

20 years is a significant stretch of time. In 1994 the church was much different. Different people, different leadership, different activities. Indeed the world was different then too. Yet we are the church we are today because of faithful, intentional steps they took to build up Christ’s body and leave a legacy for us.

In the same way, we too have an impact on the future. 20 years from now, in 2034, the church will be different again. Different people, different leadership, different activities. And the world of 2034 will be different as well.

Just as we have a responsibility to honor the heritage of the church, we also have a responsibility to do what we can to prepare for its future. It is the balance of continuity and change—both are important. The God of the past is also the God of the future. From the new Glory to God hymnal we sing the old favorite “O God Our Help in Ages Past Our Hope for Years to Come.” In fact one of the ways you have already embraced the future is by adopting the new hymnal – a songbook for the next generation.

So I invite you to continue to consider the future. We may not know what the future will look like, but we know that because God is in charge, we will be okay. Not fear but hope. Therefore the most faithful thing we can do is to be thinking: “What can I do today that will have an impact on the church 20 years from now?” Make decisions not on how they will benefit you, but how they will benefit those who come after you. How is God calling you to lean into the future? And 20 years from now perhaps another photograph will be taken of people standing where we stood this year. And they will give thanks to God for your legacy which enables them to continue to Worship God, Prepare Disciples and Serve the World.

Leaning Forward, David

A Day More Lovely Than the Rest

On the liturgical calendar, Easter lasts for 7 Sundays and is commonly referred to as “The Great 50 Days.” It takes 50 days for us to celebrate, practice and experience this core belief of our faith—that “he is not here, he has been raised, as he said.” It takes 50 days for us to learn the lesson “do not be afraid,” “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” A season so grand needs a proper inaugural.
 
And God provided. We greeted each other that morning with the traditional Easter greeting: “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!” We sang the stirring songs of faith “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today” and “Thine is the Glory” with the Joyful Noise ensemble. An earthquake and the message from an angel—that God has begun a new creation—made the women leave the tomb “with fear and great joy.” And then, like the church has done for thousands of years, we celebrated the sacrament of baptism and welcomed new members. The chancel was full of people and the sanctuary was filled with the Spirit. We all remembered the gift of baptism--that we have died to the ways of sin and death and been raised to new life in Christ, the risen Lord. It was like a birthday for all of us, as Ruth Bailey played “Amazing Grace” on the piano. After service the narthex was full of smiling people posing for more pictures. The sound of laughter rang in my ears.

After church my family stopped in Sunnyvale and took pictures in the bluebonnets. The state flower drew out many other families to take advantage of the beauty of the day. As we drove home I saw other families out holding their babies, letting the children run in the parks covered in blue. There was life everywhere. It was like everyone was echoing the psalm lesson for Easter, “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Not too many days later, the bluebonnets began to fade and drop their pedals for next year. They just weren’t as bright after that Easter Sunday. But that’s the way it is supposed to be. The day that makes all other days possible shown bright and fair, a day more lovely than the rest.

Easter Blessings, David