A Season of Change

Traditionally, the long hot days of summer are marked by limited activities and undertakings. Families take vacations to visit relatives or travel to exotic destinations. Summer is the time for fun and relaxation. Many in our congregation take a summer trip to escape the heat! Summer is many things.

But in the life of the church, summer can be a time for postponing. Activities are put on hold as some members leave for the summer. With the exception of Pentecost (which occurs early this year, June 8), even the church calendar seems to take a holiday. For the rest of the summer the liturgical color will be green indicating that we’ve entered the period called Ordinary Time.

Ordinary Time simply means there are no church holidays like Advent or Easter. The paraments will change from Pentecost red to the green of Ordinary Time and will remain so until the first week in December.

The liturgical calendar may say it’s Ordinary Time, but your church staff will be busy this summer. Plans are actively taking place and soon you’ll see the impact of that work. As a staff, we’re excited about what’s taking shape. As a congregation we believe you will be too.

The Book of Order provides the context I believe for all these activities. In the Directory for Worship (W-1.3013) we read:

As God created and appointed days, God created a rhythm of time and appointed seasons for worship. In the Old Testament, people observed seasons of fasting and feasting as occasions for festival worship of God. Jesus kept these festivals. For the Church in the New Testament, the festivals were transformed in meaning and purpose by Jesus’ life and teaching, his death and resurrection, and by the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, and promised return give meaning to the seasons which order the annual rhythm of worship….

Just as the seasons of the year provide rhythm for all living things, the rhythm of life in our congregation includes periods of growth and change. This summer will be a time of much needed updating and refurbishing for the buildings and surrounding church campus.

We look forward to sharing the vision of our enhanced church property. And we look forward to the renewed energy and purpose and increase God will add. Summer is here! Thanks be to God!

∼Harrell