Today's Lectionary TextEcclesiastes 3:1-8 NRSVFor everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. Today's Devotional
Like many churches, we are using new technologies to reach our congregation and our community. We recently introduced a QR code into our weekly bulletin for further information about church events and to sign up for our activities. We have several older members of our congregation who I thought might balk at this innovation away from paper announcements. On a recent Sunday morning at worship, I walked everyone in worship through how to open the camera on their smartphone and how to access a QR code. It was the most fun to watch the faces of our congregation as they were able to use the code and get access to all of our information. There was a look of absolute delight on so many faces. We were able to track that over 75% of the in-person congregation could open the Linktree we had created for using the QR code. My fear that everyone would resist the QR code was utterly unfounded.
Similarly, the young person who created this innovation confessed that they did not know how to write a check. Some of the older timers around the church are planning a day on how to write a check with them. Each generation has something to teach and to learn from each other. Unfortunately, we often need to look over our biases to get to a new lesson from another generation outside our own. The church is in a season of unrest, retooling, and reset. A time for keeping necessary things and letting go of habits that no longer serve us in the future. These seasons can be painful as we lose some things and gain others. We hold each other in the hope of what we can become as we trust in God and each other for the future. Prayer for ReflectionGod of beginnings and endings, we are a stiff-necked people regarding change. We want to invite others to change first and then we may consider a change. Your word over and over again invites us to trust you amid change and to walk in faith and hope that your presence is with us. Give us the patience and the perseverance we need to face new ideas with open hearts and minds.
In the name of the one who changed everything, Amen. |
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