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September 2005
Celebrations
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September 2005
Celebrations
Early this morning I stepped out onto my front porch and listened to the rain. At that time it was just little more than a heavy sprinkling of rainfall. In the quiet of the morning, listening to the gently falling rain, I imagined hearing the celebration of the plants and the grass. It seemed like the rhythm of the rain was accompanied by a chorus of gratitude being lifted by the vegetation for the waters refreshing the earth. That experience and a cup of coffee made it a great start to the day!
Upon reflection I now know there is much to celebrate. Let me share some of my joy.
This summer, unlike other summers, I met with a group of just over a dozen people for four weeks to discuss a book we read together. During our time together and in particular our last session, I heard a gentle rain. Sometime over the course of our four weeks, God had joined with us and began refreshing our lives. New thoughts began to emerge; former ideas and practices were willingly laid aside as new energy moved us to consider how to move into the future. Our time together had been used of God to refresh our lives in fellowship as well as to unite us in a common vision of extending Central's ministry and mission.
Last night (August 9) Jim Printy, our Church Council Chair, called a meeting of our work areas to discuss how to make September an Open House for Central. Had I been asked privately, I would have said that we might have ten people show up. In an effort to look optimistic we set up twenty chairs. Would you believe there were thirty people who came to plan our September emphasis! As I listened to the work areas report their plans to the larger group, I thought I heard rainfall refreshing the church and our plans were a chorus of praise being offered to God.
Recently I had a phone call from someone who wanted me to know just how much our worship at Central had blessed them. They told me coming to worship had been a source of hope in an otherwise darkened time. I listened; greatly humbled to know that God had been using each of us to touch the life of this person in such a way that they felt God loved them. Through our worship God was watering a thirsty life.
God has blessed us in great abundance with gentle rains and times of refreshing. There will always be long days and times that threaten to wilt us. So it is really important that we take time to notice the rain. When we do take the time to meditate and reflect, I believe we will find we have many reasons to celebrate.
Grace and Peace,
David