"Mark's Remarks"
6/4/08
This will be my first transition into summer with you
With the coming of summer, I'm told many things change at Covenant. Several vital programs will wind down and the church will become a less active place. Worship attendance drops off and we reduce the amount of activities we have scheduled. We change our schedule from two Sunday services to one at 9:30 starting June 22. On that day we also drop Sunday school for all ages. A number of groups that meet during the rest of the year take a break.
I have never had a clear and consistent answer to the question I often ask myself at this time of year: Do we reduce our program during the summer because people are less active, or do people become less active in the summer because we reduce our program? Most churches I have known automatically say that the first half is the obvious truth. Upon further reflection, they often begin to wonder with me.
My experience has been a combination of the two. I have experimented with offering year-round worship schedules or Sunday schools or Bible studies or choirs with varying degrees of success. I have seen some programs continue to grow and thrive while others have inevitably floundered no matter what efforts are made to keep people active and involved.
In case you're wondering, I am not suggesting that we keep everything going at its usual pace and level of intensity for the entire summer. Many need the rest and rejuvenation and recreation that our summer schedule offers.
One of the activities I hope to pursue in order to be rejuvenated and recreated are to finally move into my office (if you've seen the inside, you know how helpful this would be!). I also hope to take time to call on many of you to get better acquainted and to hear your stories of faith and life and family. A final pursuit is to do some songwriting.
My final intentional activities are two that I invite you to join me in carrying out. Let's each do something every day that reflects our love for God, and let's also open ourselves each day for our loving God to do something in us. Perhaps it's sharing God's love with a neighbor or friend who needs a loving touch. Maybe it's spending a few minutes calling someone we've not seen in a while. This can be a moment of quiet reflection and listening to the Spirit whispering within our heart. It might be taking on a spiritual discipline that grows us in our faith or refines us to become more like Jesus in our lives. It might be regular visits with someone who is good for the tending of our soul. Maybe it's reading scripture or a devotional guide. Perhaps it's serving at the church in some way by cleaning, weeding, mowing or tidying up. Let's do something for God each day and allow God to give us what we need as we move through this summer.
In the midst of your summer plans, I remind you that we'll be together with everyone who can gather each Sunday morning for worship. We'll be planning an amazing week of Vacation Bible School as we offer a Christ-centered experience to children in our neighborhood during the third week of August. We'll be dreaming of new possibilities for the coming year. And we'll continue to fulfill our obligations to support those local, regional and global ministries that are so much a part of our expression of faith and love for Christ.
Even though things may slow down around here, I still hope maintaining your Covenant relationships remains a priority and that I'll see you in church as your schedule allows.
In Covenant with you and Christ,
Mark
Covenant
United Methodist Church
15515 N. Gleneden Drive
Spokane, WA 99208-9743
509-466-1768