Ponderings

I’m preaching this Sunday and I feel a little rusty. This is the season of “special events”. We had the Children’s Choir musical, a visit from Ron Buford (Mr. Comma himself!), and our student’s (Anisa Evan’s) last sermon. May is always a month of ‘events’, and this is no exception – we just started a little earlier this year! The liturgy of our community, like our gardens, moves with the seasons.

The year officially begins with Advent (four weeks before Christmas) when we start telling stories of Jesus’ impending birth and the significance of incarnational (embodied) theology. Every year after Christmas we spend Epiphany awkwardly pilgrimaging to the Rainbow Fish Tree. It’s a season with a lot of “isms” and a lot of talk about justice issues. Lent brings six weeks of usually sobering tones considering the cost of discipleship, this year looking again at the Apostle’s Creed. After the hurrah of Easter we have “special events” and then the glorious celebration of Pentecost, the story of the church coming to life with the breath of God. Appropriately we share the “rite” of Confirmation with our youth on this day of wind and flames. Pentecost Sunday is followed by the long season of growth (also called Pentecost). From June on through to the next Advent we read the parables and healing stories of Jesus as well as some of the rich stories from Genesis and Exodus. Then we start all over again. A continuous loop that is always familiar but never the same.

I confess that I like some seasons more than others. The richness of the summer stories is always a favorite for me, as if the warmth of the stories matches to the warmth of the summer sun. Personally I find autumn rather depressing, and though I love the summer stories, I’m pretty weary of Pentecost by the time it finally ends. When stumbling through a season that is not my preference, I take comfort knowing that ‘this too shall pass’.

For years ‘this too shall pass’ has been the screen saver on my computer, but only recently has it reached my soul. As I spent the past year reflecting on a decade shared in community here, I realized that community is what makes the seasons not only bearable but also fun. The weddings on deck for this summer are my kids, kids that I knew as children (ok, young teens!). And weddings for people you know are just SO much more fun. Although the Tom who gives me a warm hug each Sunday morning is the same Tom that I met ten years ago, this one is much taller, bearded, and smiles a lot more. Traversing the seasons in community is an incredible gift.

This spurt of nostalgia is no doubt spurred by the event of the week: Music Appreciation Sunday. In the interest of the season of ‘special events’ at EUCC, I’m writing a sermon in honor of Music Appreciation Sunday. Specifically I’ve been exploring the ways in which Jesus prayed the psalms (many of which are themselves songs). Which is all very cool and interesting. But what I’m struck by is the actual community of musicians that bless us with music each Sunday. What a gift they are! Staff and volunteers… professionals and amateurs…. children, teens, adults, elders… instruments and voices… Please plan to join us on Sunday in community as we honor our musicians.