“The sons of Israel said to them, ‘Would that we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’”
Exodus 16:3
Change can really be tough to handle when you have become accustomed to things being the same way for as long as you can remember. The Children of Israel were that way. They had spent 430 years in slavery to the Egyptians. They cried out to God day and night to be delivered from their bondage. God heard their cry and raised up a deliverer, Moses. They were set free after witnessing the mighty power of God over the Egyptians. Yet as soon as they experienced a little hardship by becoming hungry, they cried out against Moses and God. They began to lament the change that they had made. They glamorized their memories of their slavery in Egypt; and longed to return. The interim period between their deliverance and their arrival at the Promised Land was a time of testing of their faith and of their resolve. There were those who would have been happy to stay a slave in Egypt, because it was what they knew. There were those who were desperate for deliverance no matter what the change would bring forth. Then there were those in between. Some said they wanted one thing, but really wanted the other. Some were just along for the ride, being challenged by the attitudes of those around them.
We all know that change is part of life. The first breath you took hurt as your lungs filled up for the first time. Learning to walk was a lot more challenging and dangerous than crawling. It was a drastic change for Texas A&M University to allow women to attend the school. But the truth is that I would not have been an Aggie if they weren’t there. There might be some who regret that change; but I am not one of them. Refusing to change my have undesired consequences. Did you know that from 1900 to 1967, the Swiss were the leading watchmakers in the world. In 1967, when digital technology was patented, the Swiss rejected it in favor of the traditional ball bearings, gears, and mainsprings that they had been using to make watches for decades. Unfortunately, however, the world was ready for this advance, and Seiko, a Japanese company, picked up the digital patent and became the leading watch manufacturer in the world almost overnight. Fifty thousand of the 67,000 Swiss watchmakers went out of business because they refused to embrace this new technology. It was not until years later that the Swiss caught up in the marketplace with the creation of Swatch watches.
We are planning a few changes here at Blanco UMC. Starting on September 10, 2017 we will be offering 3 services on Sunday morning. We are hoping and praying that our membership will be willing to help us make these changes as smoothly as possible. It will require some flexibility and sacrifice on everyone’s part. While this is not new to many congregations, it is very new to us. The New Service times will be 8:30, 10:00, and 11:15. The 8:30 service will be a Gospel Service with all of the elements of the current Sonshine service; weekly Communion, Children’s Sermon, and Children’s Church. The 10:00 service will be the Traditional service; more formal liturgy, hymns, and monthly Communion. The 11:15 service will be held in the Fellowship Hall (Gym) with youth lead Praise & Worship music. It will feature drums, guitars, a key board, and lots of movement. This informal service will encourage people to come in shorts and flip-flops. Sunday School classes and small groups will be encouraged during each of these service times.
Truthfully, I am both excited and a little bit nervous about this change. I know that this can upset some of the dedicated members who have faithfully carried the load for this church for years. I am praying that each of us can see the potential to reach new people for Jesus. I am also hoping each of us would do what we can to make it work. Please pray…“not the Preacher’s will, nor my own, but the Lord’sWill…be done!”
In Christ,