In my previous, first church as a pastor, a parishioner said, “don’t change my church”. I cringed. Steam came out of my ears. My lip got swollen from biting it so hard. My current caIl is full of JOY! The congregation is full of people very used to change, since almost all of them have moved here in retirement. It is a new experience here – the church with new people, their new neighbors, everything changed and new.

Until it isn’t any more.

You know the old expression, “familiarity breeds contempt.”

 When we get settled into a comfortable routine, we start to mind change. Even the worship service. If there’s a tweak here, a new liturgical music setting there, people start to grumble, even become anxious. Waiting or not being patient to wait is a change of the mind, a re-arranging of the mental furniture. Then the “blame game” gets opened. The pieces get moved around the board until the culprit is revealed.

When we are in control, there is less need to finger-point. When we admit that no one forced us to take up smoking, or overeating, or eating the wrong foods, then we have to suck it up, even if it’s difficult. We get the nicotine patch, cut down our bad cholesterol, eat more rabbit food.

Here is the grace part. People in our lives support us in the times of change. Things happen at the right times and circumstances. If you are a person of faith, you realize it’s not by coincidence. The loving community of faith (congregation) helps us to be spiritually anchored.

No one else can take your turn in the game. But we can believe and trust that God is the Master of the Board. The game will be won by us, and He won’t change the rules on us. Change happens with or without our choosing, and the journey around the board can land us on some less than desirable spaces. God is always there with His unconditional loving.  

Pastor Art