It came in the mail a few weeks ago. It’s easy to spot…but also easy to ignore. It’s the bright orange postcard that comes from a local business telling me that they’ll be in our neighborhood on a certain date blowing out sprinkler systems in preparation for winter, and they want to know if they should schedule us in on that day. It’s easy to spot because of the color…but it is easy to ignore because when it arrives it seems like we’ve got so much of summer and fall to get through before winter really arrives.
However, as I write this reflection, I am aware that we, here in Mitchell, are under a Freeze Watch for Saturday morning. This is the first potential frost or sub-32-degree temperatures of this season. And yes, I did get my name on the list to have the in-ground sprinkler lines at our home blown out in preparation for winter.
That orange card got me thinking about what needs to be done In the midst of the changes taking place and as colder weather approaches. Are there other tasks that need to be completed? What preparations need to happen now to be ready when the snow flies? I’ve started my list.
There are some other orange cards that I’ve been receiving lately too. These “attention” cards aren’t coming in the mail, but are orange cards, or attention grabbers, that are coming from different realms of the world, but are still telling me changes are taking place and am I or are we prepared, or at least preparing, for what is happening all around us?
One of those orange cards is a newly released book entitled, “The Great De-Churching of America.” A study done over several years is showing that we are in the midst of a great shift, faith wise, in America. After WWII, there was a great shift of the American population to attending and involvement in church. We are now in another great shift in America that is church related, but it is not a positive shift. It is a negative shift of people leaving church and organized religion.
Another orange card is the fact that volunteerism in America is way down. This is a reality and a problem in many clubs, non-profit organizations, and even the church. This is a critical issue in ours and most churches in America today. It is challenging to get people to volunteer to be a part of the ministries of the church.
Yet another attention grabber is the fact that we are living in a time of great Biblical illiteracy. Even a question like, “What are the two sections that make up the Bible?” The answer is not readily known. Of course, this all makes sense when you realize that the predictions of the past several years are coming true in that America is following in the footsteps of Europe and Canada, and entering into what is known as a Post-Christian, or even Pre-Christian, era. (I’ll write/talk more about this another time.)
What I, and I believe all of us are realizing, is that things in our world…and even things in the church are changing. And the question becomes are we aware? Are we preparing? How will following Jesus look different in the days and years ahead? I am reminded of Paul’s words to the church in Rome when they were in the midst of persecution and great societal change. Paul wrote, “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
May the “orange cards” of our day help us be prepared as individuals and as a faith community to consider what transforming work God is up to in our midst. I do believe God is wanting to “renew” our mind in order to make God’s Kingdom more real today, tomorrow, and in the years to come. These are days filled with great possibility and opportunity!
Pastor Keith