Turning

September is just about here. The kids are headed back to school, as are the teachers. Most folks have finished summer vacations. Church is gearing up for what we call our “Program Year,” the months from September to June. Even though many of us haven’t really been that far from church over the summer (and I hope church hasn’t seemed so far away from any of you), it is time to turn back and to focus on the various ministries to which each of us has been called here at Smith Church.

The Old Testament uses “turning” as a frequent motif. Sometimes God has turned away from God’s people and sometimes God has turned toward them. More often, Scripture depicts the people as either turning away from or toward God. Most of us, I hope, never turn completely away from God or church, but I think it is helpful periodically to hear a call to turn toward God. There are so many bumps and twists on the roads of our lives that it is relatively easy for any of us to have our alignments shifted and knocked out of whack, at least a little bit.

One popular symbol for God is the lighthouse shining out in the night. The implication is that if one simply looks up to God, that one penetrating beam of light will serve as a homing beacon to guide the faithful on their true course. As someone who has spent some time on the water at night, I have to admit that there are a lot of other lights out there too. Sometimes it takes a great deal of attention to find and focus on the one light that will get you home safely. I think that is true in life as well. In nighttime navigation as in life, it is a good idea to periodically check to make sure you are steering by the light you intend to be following.

Those who came before us built their houses of worship with steeples like the one here at Smith Church. The steeple serves as a visual aid to show us where Christians gather in a particular community to seek God together, to have our personal and collective alignments checked and, if necessary, adjusted. Join your friends and neighbors (maybe even some new ones) this September under the steeple at 30 West Main Street, won’t you? Together we’ll use all of our various God-given talents to search the seas and roads of our lives to identify the One True Light, Jesus Christ, who will lead us and never fail us on the journeys of our lives.

Blessings,

Andrew