“For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven;”  

 (Ecclesiates 3:1)

As I sit and write today along our Susquehanna River, I am reminded of the changing of the seasons.  Even after the cold and darkness of winter, new life springs forth and there is a season for all things amid the constant change of our world.  Our season of Easter is coming to an end and we move into the season of Pentecost. Yet as Christians, Easter never fully ends for us, because Easter means new life in the resurrected Christ as Children of God.  Children called to be the hands and feet of Christ in an ever changing world. 

Our scriptures in the coming weeks teach us about an ever changing world and how we are to live in that world.  Jesus speaks to us about our relationship with the Holy Spirit, the advocate that is sent to continue to teach and guide us in the way of Christ Jesus.  Then in the following weeks, Jesus shows us how we will be challenged by the institutions of this world where the rules don’t always reflect love for the other.    Jesus will also speak of division, telling us that a house divided cannot stand.  Our world is so full of division right now, but we are called to remain united as one in the body of Christ despite our differences.  With faith the size of a mustard seed, we can do great things says Jesus. And so we keep planting those small seeds.  And Jesus knows that we will have storms in this life as things continue to change and this world tempts us to seek solace in things other than God.  In these times, we are taught to keep our eyes and heart on Jesus and he will bring forth the calm once again.  These scriptures are so important to us as we journey together in these ever shifting times. But let us recognize that these times of change, God uses for transformation, to bring forth new life in it’s given season.

Like all churches and organizations, St. John’s continues to go through the changing seasons of our times.  We are facing some hard times and decisions about who we are, who God is calling us to be, and what it is we really need in order to be God’s people for the sake of sharing God’s love with the world.  Our triune God will walk with us during these changing and transformative times and we will work side by side, loving one another as Jesus commanded us. 

Blessings,

 Pastor Karla