change happens

note: this article will appear in trinity's monthly newsletter for february. please forgive the use of capital letters.

Wow, when God decides to unleash changes in the church, they come quickly! Think about the changes in our church over the past year: new website, new worship experiences, new paint, new ministry structure, new passion for mission, new excitement and possibility. It’s almost too much change to deal with. Then I am sitting in a Washington, D.C. classroom on the first morning and my phone rings, my District Superintendent. Change happens quickly!

As we prepare for upcoming changes in our life, I wanted to reflect for a moment on the issue of change. Christy, the boys, and I spent much of last weekend trying to de-clutter our home, getting it ready to put on the market. We began with the boys’ toys, sorting out what they no longer played with, what they were too big for, and various toy parts—parts to which toys we have no idea. Each toy had its own accompanying memory, its own story.

So it is with every book on my bookshelf, every Pez dispenser, every cross on my wall, every picture on my desk. They all evoke memories and places. Some bring laughter and joy, others sorrow. Our lives are really collections in themselves, aren’t they? Sorting through it all can be a healthy, and sometimes painful, process.

We are thankful to be a part of the ongoing Trinity UMC collective memory. Just thinking about our 2+ years together, a few memories come to mind:

  • The 2005 youth mission trip to Oklahoma. Wow, what an amazing week that was. Just the other day I came across the blanket the good folks at White Eagle gave me.
  • Cleaning out the office last summer. I started rearranging a few things, got way in over my head, and called Sarah Wilcox in an emergency. Three hours later, she shows up with Elaine Tricoli and says, very simply, “No.”
  • The trip home from Frazer Church in Montgomery last March. 12 hours of brainstorming and visioning.
  • The standing ovation at my first Men’s Breakfast.
  • Every hour with Marie Mitchell.
  • The approximately 37 seconds it takes to get Evelyn Tanner wound up about a peace and justice issue.
  • The completely warm and forgiving looks when James and Miles run full-blast down the halls and through the Sanctuary.
  • Every second of music from Rafe and the band.

Those are just a handful of the many memories we will take with us to Prosper. Again, I encourage everyone to be in prayer for Bishop Norris, our D.S. Milton Guttierrez, and the appointive cabinet as they discern who will become the next pastor of Trinity. Hopefully there will be an announcement soon. And pray for the congregation in Prosper during their time of transition. Change is good, but it can be painful and overwhelming. One thing is for certain: in a constantly changing world, the one sure constant is change!

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