First United Methodist Church of West Branch
2490 W State Road, West Branch, MI 48661
Phone: 989-345-0210
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This page was last updated: February 3, 2012
he table decorator at our clergy retreat decided to put spring flowers on every
table. The contrast between the snow softly falling outside and the tables set
with tulips and pansies was mystifying. As she crossed the room we asked
about the choice of spring flowers and she said it was good to anticipate what
was to come. In a nutshell, that is what we were doing at our retreat, anticipating the future. We heard a scholar talk about church life as it is now and church life as it could be. Anticipating the future meant that we were part of the change that could happen.
Change becomes a troubling word in institutions as solid as the church. Change seems to be a thing that messes up what is, for what could be. It isn’t much fun and it’s hard to allow hallowed ground to change, but nothing stays the same. Just as we change through growth and age, so also the community and the church.
I have a poinsettia on my desk. This winter flower continues to grow and change. It looks great for the holiday season and then throughout the following months drops more and more of its leaves. Soon it is red tipped at the top and leggy and green close to the soil. It can bloom through the holiday season and then remain green through the rest of the year. To get it to rebloom the next Christmas takes knowledge and care. So it is with change in our churches. We can enjoy the beauty of our churches, see changes come upon them and then grow to know and care about how to adjust well in the midst of life to help our churches rebloom for the future.
The Ogemaw County Clergy Fellowship is talking about changing how we meet together. For the past few years we have met for lunch, chatted and covered our agenda, especially checking our administrative duties for our outreach project, the Food Pantry housed at Trinity Episcopal Church. Recently we have discussed meeting together to develop deeper worship, prayer and connections between us as clergy in Ogemaw County. It is hard to change. We will hold our next clergy gathering at our church, meeting for two hours of prayer, conversation, connection and some administration. This change only came as we looked at how we hold our gatherings now and what we wanted our gatherings to be in the future. We don’t actually know if it will be a lasting change or just temporary. Meeting together we will find the way that works for the majority of our clergy brothers and sisters.
We can admire and celebrate life now as it is in the church and still know that there may be changes in the future that will happen as a result of what our community wants and needs. We may need to rebloom and change as our churches respond to the wants and needs of living in community. Change is not easy. Just as the snow comes and changes our landscape, subtly rearranging soil and seed for future growth, so our churches recognize the needs and wants of our people and subtly change to anticipate the future that is to come.
In the midst of this winter season, let us celebrate the spring that is to come and anticipate how we can participate in the changing landscape of our future as we live and work in community together.
Blessings,
Rev. Lisa Cook
(written for 1/31/12 Ogemaw Voice, reprinted here.)
