Living in the in-between

As our senior pastor’s ministry with us concludes, we are aware that we are entering into a time of change. Really we always have change occurring in our lives – the question is how much change is happening and how significant is the impact of it?

Times of transition, like this time for our congregation, can easily be times of stress and anxiety. And knowing that the change is coming, having 10 months to prepare for a change that is to come, oftentimes really isn’t all that helpful once the change happens. There is that moment, that identifiable moment, when you know that things won’t be the same again. Not necessarily better or worse, just not the same. And it is then that I begin to understand more deeply all that this change means – the ways it will (and hopefully will not) affect different areas of my life; how it will and won’t affect relationships; and how it will (and likely won’t) affect my faith. And then, in this case at least, I begin to understand that I've also entered into a "living in-between" time. A time between what is past and the rest of the change (our next pastor arriving) that still waits ahead somewhere...

The more significant the change (notice I didn’t say “bigger” because it’s not the size of the change but how significant I believe it is) - the more significant the change, the more there is to work through in order to get back to the core. But when I do, what I find there is the unchangingness (like that word?) of God, the steadfastness of God in my life. And I remember that my life is part of a much bigger story, God’s story. And I remember that with God at the center (not me, not a situation, just God) the details look different. My anxiety is lessened, my acceptance of what is expands, my capacity for sharing love and grace is increased, and I know with a trust that is unmeasureable that all will be well. And peace has room to grow within me once again.

What do you turn to during times of significant change? What brings you back to peace?

Celebrating our ministry

Wow! What a wonderful weekend of celebration of ministry at Riverside. I hope you were able to be part of it all. I hope that you were able to feel the excitement that I felt about our ministry at Riverside. In lifting up Rick’s ministry with us – 11 plus years of it! – we also celebrated our change and growth as individuals and as a congregation during that time.

How far we’ve come… How much we’ve done… How much God is still calling us to do!

As we continue to celebrate Rick’s ministry with us, and as we begin to miss his leadership of us – God’s voice calls out telling us that the mission he calls us to does not end. God calls; telling us that his mission is not dependent upon one person alone, but upon the work of us all. God’s mission – to share his love and grace with everyone – is unfolding in our lives and in our community today, and will continue to do so in the days ahead.

It is my prayer that we each are able to be aware of and be responsive to God’s call to continue to serve him. Where is God active in your life? How is God calling you to serve during this time of transition? How is God calling you to deepen your faith?

hmm...a message here?

I've just come home from back-to-back trips to Christmount, NC and then to our Camp and Conference Center in Silver Springs for Jigsaw (a Regional youth retreat) - with only 1 day at home in between. I went to unpack this evening and found...

...I sense there may be a message here?!

Traveling... home again

I’m on my way home from a Board meeting at Christmount in Black Mountain, NC. I seem to be doing a lot of traveling lately. Friday I leave for our Conference Center in Silver Springs for a weekend youth retreat. … It will be good to be home for a while.

Don’t get me wrong – I enjoy traveling. It’s good to see new places. It’s good to meet new people and learn more about life outside my small corner of space. (I figured out the other day that I’ve lived in Jacksonville for 22 years now – that’s longer than I’ve ever lived anywhere.) But there’s something to be said for “home.”

Home – that place where you are known. A place of family and friends. A place where you can rest comfortable in the knowledge that you belong; not because your “things” are there, but because there are people there who love and support you, who share your tears of joy and sorrow, who cheer you on and then challenge you to go further.

I am blessed to have several of these places. In Jacksonville with my husband and son, and extended family. In Bradenton with my extended family. In Jacksonville with my friends and church. In Florida with the youth and adults of the YMC and CYF.

But I also have found that each place I go, whether it’s California or North Carolina or…, I find a piece of home there, too. I find there a sense of belonging, because God is in that place – and where God is, I know I can belong. Perhaps it’s not something I can see or touch as easily as I can where my family is. But it is there, nonetheless; there deep inside me – that invisible connection with a people and a place because I believe, I know in the core of who I am, that through God we are all one. And that is the best belonging any of us can have.

Sunday's Prayer

God of grace and truth, we gather in your presence this day singing words of praise – you alone are worthy of the praises we bring. You, who created the heavens and the earth, and yet are mindful of us. You know the hairs on our heads; and hold each of us in the palm of your love – and so we join as one in love of you. Hold us close in your presence this day so that we will know that you are Love.

God of faith, through your Spirit is life and peace. In the form of Jesus Christ, you have come to show us who you are. You have shown us that you are a God of grace; a God of peace; a God of truth. We are your children and we know you love us. We have life in you, because your Spirit is within us…

So be with us. Search our hearts and know our ways. Fill our very lives with you – fill us with your presence so that our souls overflow onto everyone we meet. Help us to remember that, no matter our circumstances, we are more than conquerors because of the love that Jesus has for us. Jesus, who gave himself for us, gave us a glimpse of who you are. Jesus, who died so that we might understand how to live – lives and walks with us still today. So help us to live and to do the work of Jesus who calls us into the world. Help us to know that you ask of us only one thing – to share your sacred word with a broken and hurting world so that they too might know the peace that only you can bring into our lives.

And may the peace of Jesus Christ be with each of us, this day and evermore. Amen.

Sunday's Prayer

God of grace and truth, we come before you with hungry hearts – hearts that long to find rest our place you. We gather this day to praise you, for you are God and we are your people. You have given us every good thing – food to nourish our bodies, beauty to nourish our spirits, and your Holy Spirit to nourish our souls. There is nothing good which does not come from you – and we give all honor to you this day.

Through Christ’s love we have been reconciled to you. Jesus has shown us how to love you, so that we might love you with our whole hearts …and we know that the love you call forth in us is as much about our neighbor as it is about you. So help us – help us to be your hands and your feet in this place; help us to be love in all that we say and in all that we do. …Show us how to respond to anger with love; how to respond to fear with love – each action we make is a choice, so help us to choose your loving way.

Lord God, we know through Jesus that we are called to take up our cross. Just as Simon the Cyrene did – we, too, are called to carry our cross; to bear our responsibilities for one another and for this world; to serve where there is a need that you have called us to fulfill. May we each rise to the call of your voice, emboldened by the example of Jesus, and strengthened by your Holy Spirit and our fellowship with one another. And may we know that our loving and our serving help bring healing through your grace.

Your constant presence with us, your steadfast loving of us brings joy to our hearts and purpose to our living. So may all our living be in the way of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Sunday's Prayer

Lord God, Father of Jesus the Christ, we give you thanks this day and always for the steadfast love which you are. You have revealed your Self to us in Jesus – and we are humbled at the grace you share with us. What are we that you are mindful of us – and yet you have promised to be with us on this journey of life; you have promised to be with us on this journey of faith, always. So, we give all glory and honor to you alone.

Lord God, we know that you are the Great Physician. You care not only about our physical ills, but about our spiritual ones as well. So, bring healing now where there is need. Bring strength – bring comfort – bring healing and renewing love in equal measure. Pour them out upon your children so that we might be restored to you. Pour out your grace and your love, not just in this place, but where ever there is need – so that all creatures might come to know that you are God, and that you are a God of mercy and love.

Show us this day how you would have us live and love. Show us the step that we are to take today – and help us know that you walk with us always. May we live trusting that you will be with us tomorrow to help us take the next step and the one after that. Help us experience and live this day as you have given it to us – knowing that tomorrow will come in good time. Help us walk close to you so that we may be filled with your love and your grace – sharing both with everyone we meet.

God of our spiritual parents – God of Abraham and Isaac, God of Ruth and Mary – you are a faithful God. Teach us to walk by faith in you and not by what we see in this world. Through your Holy Spirit come wisdom and strength, that will renew and sustain us this day and always.

Hear the prayers of our hearts this day – we pray in the name and in the way of Jesus, the Christ. Amen.