Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Nov/95

Contributor - Jim Moerman

Title - Songs for the Bride - Letters of Love to the Regional Synod of Canada

Topic - Reformed Church In Canada

'THIS year began as any other year for a busy pastor, his family and his church - planning, praying, preaching, plowing the soil and planting good seed. But before the year was through, the Lord surprised us by giving us a whole new ministry to the Regional Synod of Canada, which involved pulling up stakes from Grace Community Church in Surrey, B.C. and moving to Ontario or more specifically to a beautiful rural setting outside of Paris, Ontario. On "Bethel Road." Off of the "Rest Acres" exit. Sound too good to be true? It is. The Lord has blessed us with a wonderful home and a neighbourhood that has welcomed us with open arms. Thank-you!

You'll recall that my predecessor Jonathan Gerstner (who is probably reading this beneath the shady foliage of a Florida palm tree - while we shovel our driveways) wrote a regular column in the Pioneer Christian Monthly called "Finally Brethren". I've been asked by the Pioneer Editorial Committee to carry on the tradition. Glad to! But somehow that particular title didn't seem appropriate for someone beginning a new ministry. So after some deliberation about the purpose of this column (and after rejecting outright the suggestion 'In The Beginning"), I've settled on "Songs For The Bride" since the intent of this column will be to convey something refreshing and encouraging to the Body of Christ - His beloved Bride. I pray that you'll find these monthly columns to be just that - refreshing, uplifting, a blessing to you and yours ... just like a favourite song. I hereby dedicate this page to honour the Lord and encourage His people.

There were tears in her eyes as she grasped my hand, "Pastor, things sure will be different around here without you. Why do things have to change?" I thought about that for a minute before answering (I had thought about that for weeks myself) After 17 years at Grace Community Church (nine as its senior pastor) there was an undeniable twinge of guilt in my heart for leaving this congregation. After all, I didn't have to leave. We were having good years, excellent years - growing old(er) together. And the Lord was smiling on us all the time.

I began those years at Grace Community Church as a timid member of a fledgling youth group and left as the pastor of the whole congregation. Somewhere in-between I had worn the hat of the Sunday School Superintendent, the Youth Group Leader, the Vacation Bible School Director, the College and Career Leader, a Worship Leader, a Home Group Leader, the Assistant Pastor and a few more hats besides. I had spent my entire adulthood in that church! The thought of leaving all those years behind wasn't easy. Harder still was the fact that many of the congregation had never had any other pastor but me.

And yet, I knew that moving to Ontario was right, a response to what I know is a Divine call, and in the long run, good for everyone concerned.

I don't know about you although I can probably guess but I'm real glad not to be in diapers anymore.

And drinking warm milk from a bottle was a terribly slow and laborious way of quenching a thirst. High school was OK but I'm glad to have graduated and be out of the zoo. And while the single life was a positive experience for me, marriage and fatherhood are better by far!

Here's the point. Change offers an endless array of new possibilities and pathways to grow. Change can be good - very good - if our attitude towards it is right. Unfortunately, change can also be bad - very bad - if our attitude towards it is wrong. If you've got a pulse, you're bound to experience change. And growing Christians move from stage to stage, glory to glory, you've step by step. So we need to be "good-finders" in situations of change. I've heard that some of the people back where I came from are discovering wings to fly and new skills that might have remained under developed had I still been there. I'm not surprised.

Change brings a warehouse of good things if we'll look for them.

Even in your local church - don't look now, but things will be changing in the days ahead. Guaranteed. That's not an ominous warning, that's just reality. A changed order of service. A changed style of worship. A different pastor with different ways (and haircut). A new emphasis from the consistory. New terminology. New songs. New Bible translation. A new ministry project.

New ... aaaaccckk! Are you up to it? What will your attitude towards change be? Will you be a good-finder or a bad-finder?

God is the author of change, isn't He? Didn't the One who called us according to His purpose also foreknow us and predestine us to experience change? Didn't He say, 'See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare?" Sure He did. And like my daddy used to say "As long as the change doesn't conflict with God's Word and its helpful to reach the lost and spur on the saints, hey man, let's go for it!" (paraphrased version).

So if you're wrestling with change these days, be a good-finder. The Lord never changes, you can be sure of that. But He allows change (and even sponsors it!) to help us grow, mature and become more like Christ. Hang on to the Changeless One, guard your attitudes and you'll be alright.

And the next time you think some new change really stinks, remind yourself how good it feels not to be in diapers anymore.

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