Cancellation
“Have you ever cancelled a Sunday service?” This question was posed after we cancelled our Saturday evening worship service on January 12, 2019, due to the snow. A prediction of 5-7 inches turned into 11+ inches. We didn’t hold that service, but there was still a Bradley University basketball game. In my mind I thought, “If someone can make it to the Saturday night basketball game, they can certainly make it to worship on Sunday.” And lo and behold, many of them did! Thankfully, everyone was safe and we were able to worship on Sunday, January 13, 2019, to observe the Baptism of our Lord.
Throughout the years I have served in places where we did have to cancel the latest service on a Christmas Eve, as well as the Christmas Day worship, because of a howling blizzard. (I believe that was the same year my mother-in-law cracked her pelvis as she slipped on the ice). A midweek Advent evening service in a different year was likewise cancelled for the same reason.
Other than that, I can remember only a few times when the worship was held but I couldn’t participate in it. One Sunday morning an abscess in my jaw finally put an end to my preaching before the 10:45 service – many thanks to Gary Gruber, an elder, for reading the sermon that day. And then there was an Ash Wednesday when I couldn’t begin to get to work. My associate was sick, too. Arnie Awe, an elder, filled in.
My general rule of thumb is that if I can make it to the church, I will. And we will have a worship service. But I would encourage everyone to be sensible. Don’t take risks on your life or well-being to be in worship. God-willing we’ll be open the next time a worship opportunity presents itself, so you’ll get another chance if you miss this one!
There are many things for which to be thankful in this past weekend’s experience: (1)I’m thankful that for most of my pastoral ministry the weather has been fine and I’ve been in good health. (2) I’m thankful for the technology we have in this age to alert members that services won’t be held. (3) I’m thankful for the workers who step up in these moments – Jamie who knows how to get the previously mentioned alerts sent, and Jeff for his work in clearing the sidewalks and making certain the lot gets cleared. (4) Finally, I’m thankful for the snow and the moisture it means for our land.
Some of you may have seen a few photos on Facebook regarding a Winter family tradition involving a barefoot dash in the snow. I’m thankful I got to do that, too!
The birds are just a start.
With the thoroughly insulated grill we have (and the delight I take in the weather that goes with my last name) I’ve been out on the back patio with some regularity over the last few weeks grilling our evening meal. On a few of those evenings I heard the hooting of an owl in the nearby woods.
We also have Canadian geese who enjoy our neighborhood’s water feature. While I’m very glad our property isn’t closest to that fountain (and all the mess on the grounds nearby) we still occasionally hear their honking as they take flight.
Along with these larger birds we have seen many smaller ones up close, on the birdfeeders in the back yard. So far, the regular patrons are chickadees, white-breasted nuthatches, cardinals, blue jays, and a redheaded woodpecker.
That brought the question “why are these so noticeable?” to my mind this weekend. My conclusions are that (a) the neighborhoods were very new where we’ve lived before, i.e. hardly any mature trees. We’d see and hear mourning doves on the roofs, but that was about it. And (b) it’s been while grilling out back, eating at our breakfast table, and reading in the evening that these birds are noticeable. We recognize their presence when we’re quiet and available.
With that in mind I’d like to encourage you to take some time to notice these and other 1st Article wonders of God’s providence in your life (1st Article of the Apostles’ Creed, that is, along with its meaning in Dr. Martin Luther’s Small Catechism). We are encouraged in Isaiah 40:26 “Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these?” And we know the answer to that – it’s God. Let your mind linger on how much He cares for us in all these things, as well as in the giving of His Son, Jesus Christ, for the sins of the world.
Take some time to notice the beauty, the majesty, and the plenty all around you. I’m looking forward to putting out our here-to-fore unvisited hummingbird feeder when the weather allows!
It's not what I wanted. But, it was good.
“It’s not what I’d wanted. But it was good.”
Does this sound like a description of a Christmas present recently opened? I suppose it could be, with just a touch of disappointment in the voice during the first sentence. And then the second sentence hurries right in there, trying to convince the gift-giver it’s still a wonderful present!
Or could it be said with a sound of surprise in the first sentence? It’s the wrong order brought to you by the restaurant wait staff. But it tasted good!
For me, the first sentence has to do with the fact that I lost my voice by the close of the 9:30 service on Christmas Eve and there was precious little of it left on Christmas Day. I wasn’t able to sing many of the songs that I love and here it is, Saturday, December 29th, and I’m still struggling with it. This is not what I’d wanted for the first celebration of the nativity of our Lord, here.
But, there was so much good to enjoy! There was beautiful music throughout the services – harp, violin, brass, choral, organ, keyboard and guitars. The setting was, itself, stunning with the trees, the poinsettias, and the lighting. We had a great visit with Jami’s parents and our son and his wife, Chase and Krista, through the holidays.
And truly, “good” is far too tame a word. I should probably describe it as great, because all of these surrounded, embellished, and amplified the adoration of the Christ child, born to Mary. Jesus was the center of it, as He rightly is: the One Who came to set us free from sin, death and everlasting condemnation through His suffering, death, and triumphant resurrection.
God the Father gave us a gift we didn’t know that we wanted, a gift we didn’t know how deeply we needed. Thank you, God, for the gift of Your Son, Jesus, and the opportunities we have had at Christmas to rejoice in this.