A sanctuary is a sacred place. People tend to have "their"
pew, where they sit every Sunday. Simply put, that is where they
find God. When you change anything about someone's sacred space, you
do it very carefully. Every part of the space carries deep meaning.
We are about to make some big changes. Every one of us needs to be
thoughtful in this transition time.Just because the sanctuary rug
is tattered and falling apart, still it is important to recognize
that on this carpet we've lived and celebrated life in Christ
together. On this carpet, under this ceiling, with this paint, our
loved ones have been baptized and married and buried. In this sacred
space, the shape of the Christian year has been etched on our
memories. Those old elements of the sanctuary have served us well,
albeit past their best life span. Now, its time to say goodbye.
You see, unless you have a good "goodbye," its hard to have a
great new beginning.This month, we need you to help us say "Thanks,
old space. You have been a blessing. We are tremendously grateful.
Good-bye." Then, like the people of Biblical Israel, we will spend
some time in exile. OK, for us, it will be an internal exile. We
will be worshiping in the new fellowship hall. It will be a good
time to open ourselves to some new experiences. I am sure there will
be some bumps, confusion and laughter along the way. There will also
be some mourning over what we will not have for half a year.
Sometimes "doing without" makes you appreciate more what you have.
Then this autumn, we will be ready to move into the future with a
renovated and renewed sanctuary.
I am grateful to the architects, Bahr Vermeer Hacker, who have
helped us think about the coming changes. They have spent a lot of
time talking with us. They have listened well and brought thoughtful
ideas. The sanctuary plans have changed multiple times in the last
two years. We've lived with ideas for awhile, and then changed them.
We have picked up ideas, dropped ideas, and transformed ideas. It
has been a great experience of spiritual discernment.
Still, I know many of us will feel some mourning. To be frank, I
feel it already. Let's be extra gentle with one another in this time
of change. In our mourning the Holy Spirit is at work, getting us
ready for God's future. We are following Christ into a new tomorrow.
On April 13th, we need you to help say good-bye. We need you to
come to worship and remember and celebrate the past. Then, like
Israel, we need you to help carry symbolic elements of our worship
into exile, where we will await the coming return. It will be your
last chance to say a good "Good-bye" before we can say a new
"Hello!"
With you on the journey,
Andrew L. McDonald
Pastor
