Now is the Time
Posted on Feb 08, 2017 by
Salem Family,
We went through the season of Advent, a time of waiting. Waiting for the birth of Christ, waiting for the joy. A time of preparation for our Lord. Our stewardship theme has been, “Now is the Time.” After we’ve gone through this season of waiting, now is the time. After the commitment the congregation made at the Annual Meeting, the theme, “Now is the Time” is even more relevant. Although there has been much talk about the facilities and building, which will help us do amazing ministry, we also need to remember the amazing ministries already taking place in the Salem community.
I was reading a blog the other day about birth. Two things happen in this particular blog entry. First, the blogger quotes Madeleine L’Engle from a book in a series regarding raising children during the Cold War, and how she puts her faith in the future no matter how insecure she felt in the present. Madeleine writes, “If I affirm that the universe was created by a power of love and that all creation is good, I am not proclaiming safety. Safety was never part of the promise. Creativity, yes; safety, no. All creativity is dangerous…To write a story or paint a picture is to risk failure. To love someone is to risk that you may not be loved in return, or that the love will die. But love is worth that risk, and so is birth, its fulfillment.”
No matter what the future holds for Salem, we as a community get to believe in a universe created by love and how we are called to take risks to be Christ’s light to the world, even in an atmosphere of insecurity or uncertainty. The blogger, Rachel Held Evens, writes, “But if the incarnation has anything to say about it, we don’t get to wait around for ideal circumstances to begin creating, birthing, nurturing, planting, protesting, and working together to heal the world.” If we wait for the ideal time we might never do anything. I think it’s good to be reminded sometimes that we aren’t called to wait for the ideal circumstances but to take action and take a risk. I don’t have the answers and I don’t know what that means, but I do believe in the call to take action. So as I spend time in prayer and community conversation, I seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance, I encourage you to join me in that. I encourage you to join me in not waiting for the ideal circumstances, and take a risk.
Peace to you,
Meghan
Harmison
Director of Adult Ministries and Outreach