Change is a scary thing for me. I have no idea why. I didn't have any major life changing event to make me think that change is bad. Actually, I don't think change is bad. I just like to keep things as they are, for the most part. I know there are instances where change is beneficial, like when one is trying to break a life-long bad habit. Change brings up our fear of the unknown. Some respond better to that idea, perhaps because they have an adventurous spirit. I tend to hesitate before jumping right in. However, with the upcoming weekend that includes a big change, I jumped right in feet first without a second thought at all.
Our church, Calvary Baptist of State College, is branching out. Actually, it already has, as we are beginning to outgrow the size of our current building. Not only did we branch out for the space, but we branched out to be able available to more people, to reach a different section of the community, to go out to people instead of expecting people to come to us. For the past year, we have attended our church service in the local high school auditorium, because it can seat (and park) more people. It turned out to be a truly wonderful experience, and the feeling that we were in a school dissipated within the first few weeks.
We are about to grow another branch of that tree. Starting this Sunday, Palm Sunday, we are starting a new service in an elementary school on our end of town. When this idea was first presented, I loved the idea of being closer to home, and in being involved in something from the ground up. As a keyboard player and singer, I also loved the idea of being a part of the worship team on a regular basis, though I knew it would be sacrificing a lot of our travel time on the weekends. I love the idea of reaching out, yet again, instead of waiting for people to reach out to us.
We are now a day and a half away from our "launch" of this new service. As I sit here, I have to stretch to see over the new electronic keyboard that I have been playing around with, the same one I will be using during our worship times Sunday mornings. At this time tomorrow, I will be at the school setting up the stage, some instruments, the chairs, the tables, the lights - all to bring God glory in yet another school setting. It is all so exciting, yet I sat in our regular service this past Sunday feeling a little sad. This would be my last time worshipping with the people whom I have worshipped with the past year, seeing the same familiar faces, sitting in our same row and same seats. I shared this with Mike, who responded, " I know, hon...you don't like change."
I thought a lot about that. This is one of those changes that is beneficial, if there ever was one. This new service will be on an end of town that is mostly country, with few places of worship to offer this community. This service is on the edge of a new and growing neighborhood. This service will also bring God into a school, regardless of whether it's a week day or not. This new service will bring a bond and form a community within the Calvary family - with those who have chosen to make this service in this location their new home on Sunday mornings. This service is another way to glorify God through ALL of the above. Change that is definitely worth pondering and thinking about.
Though I may not sleep all that well Saturday night, I look forward to Sunday morning. I look forward to meeting new people, I look forward to playing on a new worship team and forming bonds with the other musicians, I look forward to serving and witnessing to my own community, as this is very close to my neighborhood. I look forward to allowing God to use me in all of these capacities and those that I have yet to learn about. Those unknowns are definitely not anything to fear.
