Greetings in the name of God who is Lord of the changing seasons of life!
On Wednesday of this week the change of seasons happened on the calendar and in the weather! Ready or not the fall/autumn season is upon us. The changing of the season can be both exciting and unsettling. The change to fall often means a change in the sports we play (or watch), new opportunities for learning, new activities to engage, new seasons of our favourite shows and so much more. The change to fall also brings the reality of shorter times of daylight, more layers of clothing, colder nights and more time indoors. The reality of changing seasons, and all the feelings and changes that go with it, will be one continuing constant in our lives. Genesis 8:22 reminds us that, “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”
The consistency of the changing of the seasons is a reflection of the consistency of change in every area of our lives. Our physical bodies change; our relationships, and ways of relating, change; our priorities change; our ways of doing church change… and so much more. Sometimes we encourage the change, and plan for the change, and help it to happen. Sometimes the change is forced upon us through no decision of our own. Sometimes we welcome and eagerly embrace the change. Sometimes we resist the change, or even deny it. But I believe we always have the possibility and opportunity of being transformed to greater life because of the change.
Over the last 18 months we have encountered many changes in many areas of our lives. Church life has been no exception. Because of the evolving nature of change church life will not return to the normal of February 2020. The changes of the last 18 months have been changing us as individuals and as a community of God’s people together. Those changes invite us to explore new ways of being the church together. Those changes invite us to experiment, to learn and to grow. Those changes invite us to reimagine the ways we will keep working to be rooted in Christ, growing together in faith and to extending God’s love. Those changes invite us to the potential of transformation! Although we will not return to the “normal” of February 2020 we will be led by God’s Spirit to a new normal of life together, inside and outside of our building. I invite us to hold to that hope as we embrace change! I invite us to be led by God! I invite us to be transformed!
As we embrace the autumn season may we be reminded that the consistency of the changing of the seasons is also a reflection of the consistency and faithfulness of our creator God – a God who is constant in love, grace and faithfulness through the changes of the seasons and through all the changes of our lives!
Pastor Ray