What is the PAR Process, and what will we be doing in February? Here is a complete description.
Seasons change. Times change. The world around us seems to be ever-changing. This was no different in ancient times than it is in our own day. In a blend of the ancient and the modern, Pete Seeger in 1959 wrote the music to the now-famous rock classic “Turn! Turn! Turn!” inspired by the ancient verses of the third chapter of Ecclesiastes.
To Everything Turn, Turn, Turn. There is a season
Turn, Turn, Turn. And a time to every purpose,
under Heaven…
Those of us old enough to remember the Byrds singing these timeless lyrics through the metallic speaker of a transistor radio are reminded that it was the theme song to the many dramatic and sweeping social and political changes of the 1960s.
The ancient words of Ecclesiastes are as resonant now as they were almost 50 years ago when Mr. Seeger put the scripture to music, and they remind us now that if anything is constant it is the fact of change.
There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build… (Ecclesiastes 3:1-3)
As the economic, political, and social moods have changed in our own country and abroad, we are awestruck by their magnitude. In many instances we are moved to worry and perhaps even to despair. And yet, we know that the other constant amidst a world of turmoil and ongoing change is the promise of Christ to be ever-present.
But changes do not have to be big dramatic epics on the world stage or on the nightly news to give us pause. Even in our own parish community, the body of Christ has undergone recent changes as we welcome a new Pastor and the coming changes in our liturgical worship.
So how would the Lord have us to respond to change? The best course of action from a Christ-centered perspective would be to refocus our attention on what really matters, namely Christ the Redeemer who has commanded us to love one another, to bring ourselves as individuals and ourselves as a community of believers to the recognition of Christ within us and Christ within each other. Whatever change may bring, at least here within The Church of the Good Shepherd parish, we believe Christ is at the helm, that this is His church, and that we will come to fully understand His blessings and intentions for us as He sees us through.
Perhaps the biggest and most frightening change in the leadership of the early church was the death of Jesus. In the midst of a 3-year succession of life-changing sermons, miracles, and divine manifestations, Jesus was taken from our fledgling church, condemned, murdered, and entombed. We understand now that it was necessary to Salvation and His Redemption of us.
But after the crucifixion and before the resurrection, the early church was adrift in the twin blights of doubt and despair.
Yet in that moment of darkness the risen Lord revealed Himself glorified to proclaim our mission and His promise:
“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28: 11-13)
Time and again when circumstances surrounding our lives have been at their absolute worst, it is the risen Lord who comes to us to offer peace, consolation, and rest saying, “Don’t be afraid, Take courage. I am here!” Matthew 14:27
As our parish embraces this season of assessment and renewal, we pray the Holy Spirit will guide us as we work together for God’s glory at The Church of the Good Shepherd. We pray that we can in some small way respond to the call of Christ in our daily lives for the benefit of the parish that we love so much, to go and “make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commended you.” Matthew 28:12. Amen.
To Everything Turn, Turn, Turn. There is a season Turn, Turn, Turn. And a time to every purpose, under Heaven…
Faithfully yours,
Your Parish Assessment & Renewal Committee: Susan Palabrica, Donald Carpenter, Eric Stoltz, Mary Kusnic, Debra Rogers, Cheryl Wunsch, Lucas Flanagan, Michael Caraway, Cheryl James.
