From the Pastor's Pen, November, 2005:

June 2006 From the Pastor's Pen

“Endings and Beginnings”

When This time of year is full of endings and beginnings. Even though it is not the turn of the old year to the new; this time of the year, when a school year ends, when the rhythm of life changes with the weather and the schedule, brings both endings and beginnings.

It's become a sort of cliché line at high school graduations—you can probably say it with me—“This is not the end, but the beginning!” Like a lot of clichés, though, there's some truth in it, and not just for high school seniors. With most "endings" in our lives—the end of a book we're reading, a program we're participating in, a sports season, a friend moving away, even a death—there is also a "beginning." It may be that the book we read leads us to deeper thought, or to integrate a change in our life. The time "given back" in our schedule after a commitment has ended allows us to start something new. When a friend of loved one moves away or dies, even though we grieve, we also are changed because of the impact of that relationship in our lives. Those are all new beginnings which come out of endings.

It seems that's the way with the changes in our lives. Time “flows.” Endings and beginnings overlap and flows into one another. That truth reminds me of a favorite symbol of the Trinity, sometimes called the triquetra. It looks like this:

You see that each line, each section, flows into the next, which flows into the next. There is no clear “beginning” point, or “ending.” That's how it is with God. God is eternal, and God - Son - Spirit overlap and flow in and through our lives.

But my point is, endings and beginnings in our lives are a continuing process - a journey - not so much clearly and distinct and definable moments. If we look closely at something, some time in our life, that seems to be “The End,” we find that there are new changes, new times beginning in our life, even at the same time. Hymn writer Natalie Sleeth, in her “Hymn of Promise,” writes:

"In our end is our beginning,

in our time, infinity;

In our doubt, there is believing;

in our life, eternity.

In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,

unrevealed until its season, something

God alone can see."

All those moments and seasons flow together, flow into one another, as part of our journey.

This season in the life of the church, there are endings. The “program year” of the church ends with the end of the school year. Choir takes a break in the summer, as does our Sunday School and the other programs. It's a time in the church that I always face with some sadness. While I know that everyone needs a break, a change of pace, and that with peoples' vacation plans make attendance irregular at worship and other church events. But our need for God and for gathering in God's name is no less. Perhaps we need to focus on what the “beginnings” in this season are: the change to a “lighter” schedule, a more relaxed rhythm to life. There is the beginning of a new church season, Pentecost, and the many Sundays following, which celebrate the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in the life of the Church.

In this season of change, and in all the endings and beginnings in our lives, may we look for the presence of God's Spirit flowing through our lives. As we look to summer activities in the life of the church (picnics, worship in the park, sermon series) may we be attentive to God. Worship God frequently at First UMC, and find a place to worship when you travel. Be aware of endings and beginnings, and how God's love is in all of our life.

On the Journey with you,

e-mail Pastor Baker-Streevy