Ponderings From Pittsburgh on a Windy Day and Rainy and Sometimes Snowy Day...

The picture this month is the Roberto Clemente Bridge in downtown Pittsburgh. Yes I stood in the middle of the street to capture the image. I was struck by the difference between the bright yellow bridge and the gray foreboding clouds overhead.

If the picture feels cold, let me assure you the temperature was in the 30's, the winds were in the 30's, and about a minute later it was snowing sideways.

So what was I doing out there on such a beautiful day? Why walking around the baseball stadium of course. There are all sorts of monuments and plaques recalling a glorious past of Bucco baseball there.

But the bridge served as a reminder to me of journeys. We had long planned the trip to Pittsburgh, but I never assume we will go with my family's health situation. You also see the top but not the end of the bridge. O saw that as a reminder that we plan a journey but can never be sure how it ends.

Still the bridge beckons us to climb it and complete the journey. To me it's a perfect metaphor for Lent. We begin together in ash Wednesday, there are sunny days along the way, and there are cold and cloudy days which are hard t get through.

But Easter awaits us all. Maybe not in the way we expected or wanted,, but in faith we will be together Holy Thursday, and we will be together Easter Sunday. We never know what the finish will look like, but still let's celebrate the finish for making the journey.

We did it together and now we get to celebrate a Season of Resurrection! So join me on our next journey through Easter as we make our way to Pentecost. A new season, more joy, let's GO!

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