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Change 11/02/2011
 
Change generates both excitement and anxiety, possibility and perplexity. Where is God leading us? What is out there on the horizon?                  -from a leadership blog, PCUSA website

A great portent appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birthpangs, in the agony of giving birth.          -Revelation 12:1-2

There's an old joke I'm sure you've heard about Presbyterians. Q: How many Presbyterians does it take to change a lightbulb? A: Change?

We Presbyterians have a reputation for not liking things to change. That reputation, which may be somewhat deserved, has led to us being known as the "frozen chosen" among the religious set.  And it's true; we children of the Reformation have inherited a rich tradition of theology and worship that has carried us down through the ages and led us through some difficult times.  However, there is a downside to this love of tradition: we can be very undiscerning about what constitutes rich tradition and what has simply become habit!
A church that is seeking a new pastor is forced to face changes. Often new leaders step forward during the transition time who have new and fresh ideas.  The quote above from the PCUSA's General Assembly Mission Council leadership gets to the heart of why change is so hard: there is "excitement and anxiety, possibilty and perplexity" that come into play. It isn't unlike the birth pangs of the portent that is a figure of a woman in Revelation-- giving birth is a lot of work, and the birth pangs cause us to cry out. What we must keep in mind is the new life that will be at the end of the labor-- new life, fresh ways of being together, new people sharing their love of God with each other and the world.
 


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