I need a little grace. I mean it's not a really big deal, but I need grace dealing with all this change. Some would say it's my pride talking, but I think it's really a symptom of the dreaded disease: Change Overload
For me it started way back when our church's Vacation Bible School changed its name from VBS to SSS which stands for Super Summer Spectacular. Please don't get me wrong, I'm all for change (stop it Dave) and I "get" why we change the name of things -- in this case it was important because our church ministers to kids in a truly spectacular way. Our children's ministry is very creative and SSS much better represents what really happens that week in the summer. But then this amazing tidal wave of changes started.
It's not just our church, it's sort of a nation-wide thing. Churches in general started changing their names and establishing new identities. I remember when a wave of new "Community" churches started...in the same buildings with the same people as the Baptist Churches used to be. (Hey, I grew up Baptist, so I get to talk about this!)
When I first started attending our church here in Portland, what I grew up calling "Bible Study" was called "Home Group" and sometimes "Small Group" and now changed again to "Life Group." Last year our youth "Retreats" changed to "Advances" (See, it's a GOOD thing I know, I'm not saying it isn't I promise!)
Just for fun, I call Christian Supply (the local Christian book store) "Supply" just because it will save me a step later...you know, one less thing!
Well, I propose we extend a little more grace to each other when we accidentally use the old name for things. Remember, some of these names of things I've been using here in Portland for the last 12 years! Other names of things I've been using since I first started attending church at age 3yrs. I am getting older you know, and change happens a little more slowly. Hey I know, I propose that you laugh at my mistakes and I'll laugh at yours! Maybe its not so much an overload of change, as it is that other dreaded disease: Correction Overload
For me it started way back when our church's Vacation Bible School changed its name from VBS to SSS which stands for Super Summer Spectacular. Please don't get me wrong, I'm all for change (stop it Dave) and I "get" why we change the name of things -- in this case it was important because our church ministers to kids in a truly spectacular way. Our children's ministry is very creative and SSS much better represents what really happens that week in the summer. But then this amazing tidal wave of changes started.
It's not just our church, it's sort of a nation-wide thing. Churches in general started changing their names and establishing new identities. I remember when a wave of new "Community" churches started...in the same buildings with the same people as the Baptist Churches used to be. (Hey, I grew up Baptist, so I get to talk about this!)
When I first started attending our church here in Portland, what I grew up calling "Bible Study" was called "Home Group" and sometimes "Small Group" and now changed again to "Life Group." Last year our youth "Retreats" changed to "Advances" (See, it's a GOOD thing I know, I'm not saying it isn't I promise!)
Just for fun, I call Christian Supply (the local Christian book store) "Supply" just because it will save me a step later...you know, one less thing!
Well, I propose we extend a little more grace to each other when we accidentally use the old name for things. Remember, some of these names of things I've been using here in Portland for the last 12 years! Other names of things I've been using since I first started attending church at age 3yrs. I am getting older you know, and change happens a little more slowly. Hey I know, I propose that you laugh at my mistakes and I'll laugh at yours! Maybe its not so much an overload of change, as it is that other dreaded disease: Correction Overload
1 comment:
Yep, I hear ya on this one, and such a good reminder to apply grace, that melding substance that helps the body survive (even thrive!?) life with each other. Thanks for the encouragement!
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