Richmond's Rumblings

Richmond’s Rumblings

As many of you may know, Jane and I will be taking a trip for two weeks in early July. We will on a cruise that starts in western Norway and weaves around the whole of the British Isles as well as much of Ireland before ending in London. We will then tour some historic sites there, such as the British Museum, before we fly home to Springfield and Neosho. Since we will be in a more northern geographical area, I thought I might hazard an attempt to grow a beard, perhaps doing so in memory of my Viking ancestors (thank you, Ancestry.com). I have honestly never previously sported a beard, so this will be a new adventure, and as with almost anything that involves significant change, I have some anxiety about it. Thankfully, however, if upon returning home to Neosho, I probably will shave it off, or at least past my first Sunday back so you are able to evaluate for yourselves if my venture resonates with you.

 New adventures are also, as we all know, times of uncertainty in the life of a congregation. That’s especially so today, I believe, for mainline churches such as ours when so much is happening around us that we as human beings naturally want someplace to be where all was as it was last week, last year, and thirty years ago. We also realize that try as we might, we cannot keep those happenings outside the doors of our sanctuary from one Sunday or year to the next. Thirty years ago, church secretaries had to hand paste each portion of the newsletter together and take (hopefully) at least 200 copies to the post office for the volume mailing discount. Now, we simply copy, paste, and send to most members via email while also making sure that those folks who prefer hard copies receive them as well. Matters being different seems to be the way of things, and at the same time, we as God’s people can be “safe and secure” (as our hymn puts it) that God is giving us pathways and possibilities to grow our means of serving God in this bewildering new set of circumstances. 

As we will soon enter upon Phase II of our Vision process, I am hopeful that we will be able to grasp how God is present with us through the Spirit and let God in Spirit take us where we can best continue as the church that God envisions us to be. I don’t doubt that we will do so, and then continue our unique presence as God’s church of Disciples of Christ in Neosho. May God in Spirit continue to bless and keep us in the peace that passes all understanding.

Shalom, Live Long, and Prosper,

Richmond