|
Well, it is Wednesday of Holy Week. The palms are already starting to dry out. The hosannas are about to turn to heartbreak (thank you to Karoline Lewis from Luther Seminary for the hosanna to heartbreak image).
Yesterday we walked the labyrinth. The experience was different for everyone, and I wish I had thought to ask folks to write a post-it with their impressions or "aha" moment from their walk. I had several "aha" moments.
When I approached the entrance to the labyrinth I paused. Should I pray? Am I going to carry in a rock to represent a burden? Should I look down? Up? Out of the windows? How long is this going to take? Should I move fast or slow? I think sometimes we ask so many questions that we risk not actually moving into action. But, once in the labyrinth there is a rhythm that occurs, things come into focus.
About halfway through my walk I stepped off the path by accident and then did not know which path I was on. Did it matter that I stepped back on the exact branch of the labyrinth I had been on? If I stepped onto a different branch, did I know where it would lead? I froze. Then I thought, how many times do we get stuck because we are afraid to go into unknown? Even knowing that all branches would eventually lead to the same exit from the labyrinth, I still hesitated!
Last week at the Council meeting we discussed how much the bathrooms and the kitchen needed a facelift. Even though our building needs may change and perhaps there will be major renovation in the future based on those needs, we aren't there yet. But, every day, every week, people use our building. So, we know that we need to make our space welcoming. But like at the entrance to the labyrinth we hesitate. Who will do the work? How much will it cost? Will someone object to the color if we paint the bathrooms?
Those are all valid questions! But they also have answers. What we need right now is an organizer! Who has the talent to look at the bathrooms and make a list of what we need? To do the research on how to refinish or replace the kitchen cabinets and the costs of each? Once we have the information we need - THEN we can look at labor. Pastor Claudine has already said that her congregation is willing to help us spruce up!
Just think how nice it would be to make our space more welcoming. Can we build some passion around this? We might be unsure of the path and have lots of questions - but let's step out in faith and consider how great the end result might be!
One of my favorite hymns is "Here I Am, Lord." We've sung it several times. The chorus says "Here I am, Lord. Is it I Lord? I have heard you calling in the night. I will go if you will lead me. I will hold your people in my heart."
I'm hoping that out of all our membership that one person will answer, "Here I am" and become our facelift organizer. Is it you?
Blessings,
Pastor Jill
| 
