Ponderings from the Church Parking Lot…

It's been a bit chilly to ponder on the front porch, but I do walk past these beauties pretty much everyday. What a beautiful reminder of the changing of the seasons. Have you noticed that the sun is now setting after 6 p.m.? Have you enjoyed the warmer temperatures when they come, even if the next day it's thirty degrees colder? Have you watched Spring Training Baseball? The Orioles are looking good!

The new season provides me with hope. A few weeks ago me and the staff planned our worship through Easter in detail, and we have a rough outline through August. The seasons do change!  Believe me I am more aware of that these past few months with my Bell's Palsy. It has been a difficult season, but it has taught me to anticipate better days ahead, while in the present I know that some days for me will be good as far as speaking and having both eyes open. And I know there will be days that I dearly want to say more but my mouth just will not cooperate.

It's a season. It will change. And each season allows us to see blessings. In my case I have the ability to see and work closer with the talented church family I am blessed with. Literally you all have spoken for me, and provided presence, and served when I could not be fully present. It's a season, and God gives us seasons to learn about Him, and then a new season will emerge.

During this season I have also marveled at how we continued to stay focused on our theme "Offer Them Christ." Through this season we continue to feed the hungry, we sheltered the 
homeless, and then we sheltered the homeless some more. We are planning a mission trip to Western North Carolina, and in May Rise Against Hunger will afford us a chance to make an international statement that we care.

I guess my point is that seasons come and seasons go, but the resiliency and the agility of Chestnut Church is always there no matter the season. In today's world we need to be resilient and we need to be agile. Sometimes the challenges will confront us quickly and we will need to make a quick decision in how we may serve. By always thinking how we may "Offer Them Christ" we seem to always be prepared and we bring excellence in our work for the Lord.

Seasons can challenge us, literally a few days after this picture was taken we had a major snow storm and the beautiful flowers were completely covered. But the snow melted, and guess
what? There were the flowers still blooming! Resilient, agile, adaptable, God's good seasons keep coming. And as long as we can go through these seasons together, rooted in faith, reaching out in love, we will continue to do God's work in all seasons. What a blessing!

See you Sunday,
Pastor Ken