“I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” Isaiah 43:19a

It’s oft said that the only constant in life is change. And change can occur in multiple ways. It can be overwhelming. Oh, while we may long for constancy, for sameness (or something approximating that), it doesn’t happen. In fact, over 2500 years ago, the Greek philosopher Heraclitus said the same thing. That great “theologian,” Rosanne Rosannadanna (portrayed by the late Gilda Radner on Saturday Night Live) was best known for saying, “If it ain’t one thing, it’s another!” Truer words were never spoken.

In the United Methodist Church, throughout the United States, many churches are facing change. That change might be the closing of the church. Or, it might be moving into new facilities. More than likely, the change is from one pastor to another. I’ve heard it said many times that just when the church gets used to a pastor, they get a new one. That’s the constancy of the UMC. Change. It’s ever-present. No matter how anxious it makes us, it always will be there.

The text above, quoted from the prophet Isaiah, comes from the time after the Exile (approximately 587-586 BCE). The people, banished from their homeland, had been allowed to return by Cyrus, king of Persia. Cyrus had defeated the Babylonians, and saw it was to his advantage to place the exiles back in their homeland. The people saw it as God’s intervention on their behalf, and this middle portion of Isaiah (chapters 40-55, what is known as “Second Isaiah”) speaks to the promise of restoration.

It’s the human tendency, at times, to resist change. We don’t like it, and we don’t want it. But it comes nevertheless. Generally speaking, change can be both frightening and intimidating. What will change? Will our “comfort zone” be turned upside down? How will the new pastor change things? And maybe most important, how will this change affect me? Will it knock me out of my comfort zone? The answers to these and many more questions, don’t come all at once.

Of course, you have a say in the change. Not necessarily by being a “roadblock,” but in how you re-spond. Change in any church always it a joint effort. A word of caution: Change for change’s sake will never last. It takes vision, and joint vision at that. It means prayerfully discerning God’s vision for the church, and where God is calling the church to be in both ministry and mission. It means jointly develop-ing a vision statement, which leads into a mission statement. “Without vision, the people will per-ish” (Prov. 29:18, KJV).

This can be an exciting, Spirit-filled time for Hunt UMC. But only if all go into this change with open minds and open hearts. Together, with the prompting of the Holy Spirit and God’s leading, the church will do wonderful things. So, my caution is, be open to Paul Harris. He will bring new ideas and new ways of thinking. And that is a good thing. I foresee exciting times ahead for this church. I pray God’s blessings upon each of you, upon Paul and Laura as they come to live among you, and on this church. See you on the journey!

Grace and peace,

Mike

May 7, 2017