When a holiday (like July 4th) falls in the middle of a week, it messes up the rhythm to which I’m accustomed. This is not such a bad thing this week for several reasons: I’m still recovering from the youth mission trip, and so I’m glad this week is a little slow around the church. Having an excuse to grill on a Wednesday is always welcome in my book. And with some people gone the weekend before and some the weekend after, it is impossible to schedule a night meeting.
All of us have rhythms to our lives that are at times interrupted. I’m one of those who usually hurries out the door every morning. Even though I don’t have a time clock to punch, I seem to always be in a tizzy to get behind my desk. Today I was in the middle of that tizzy when I looked at the clock in my car to see that I was a half hour ahead of time. So I decided to go to Caribou for a Coffee and Steamed Milk. (Don’t ask me what they call that drink there, it’s different at every coffee shop.)
So I’m walking up to Caribou, and there is nobody there. I could not believe it; for a moment, I thought the place was closed. The barista who took my order said she couldn’t believe it either. There must have been something in the relaxed, unhurried way I placed my order and the lack of the usual line running out the door behind me, because she got my order wrong. The young woman apologized and said that she was new.
Now, I enjoy these little encounters with baristas and clerks and folks I’m standing in line with, especially when I’m a half hour a head of time. These encounters teach me to pay attention to others, instead of the tizzy I’m in. And so I asked her, “Is this your first day?” She said that it was and smiled. We joked about what do you do on the first day on the job at Caribou when it isn’t busy. As it turns out, you have to get your name tag made and your apron on right… As I walked away, I wished her good luck.
In the car before I got to the office, I was thinking about the first days of different jobs I’ve had over my lifetime. How they were so often filled with so many questions and the apprehension of fitting in a new place. There is no rhythm on the first day at a new job. This lack of rhythm can throw us off, but it can also help us discover new things about ourselves.
At EPUMC we also enjoy a rhythm together. This helps us to find comfortable ways to become better acquainted with each other and grow in our relationship with Jesus. Today I want to both affirm this rhythm and ask you to aware of many who are among us, for whom EPUMC is a very new place.
Summer is a time when many folks get out of their rhythm and begin looking for a new or different faith community. Let’s be willing to sometimes step out of the familiar rhythm of talking to good friends in order to be attentive to those who are looking for a place to call their church home.
Keep the Faith,
Pastor Dan
All of us have rhythms to our lives that are at times interrupted. I’m one of those who usually hurries out the door every morning. Even though I don’t have a time clock to punch, I seem to always be in a tizzy to get behind my desk. Today I was in the middle of that tizzy when I looked at the clock in my car to see that I was a half hour ahead of time. So I decided to go to Caribou for a Coffee and Steamed Milk. (Don’t ask me what they call that drink there, it’s different at every coffee shop.)
So I’m walking up to Caribou, and there is nobody there. I could not believe it; for a moment, I thought the place was closed. The barista who took my order said she couldn’t believe it either. There must have been something in the relaxed, unhurried way I placed my order and the lack of the usual line running out the door behind me, because she got my order wrong. The young woman apologized and said that she was new.
Now, I enjoy these little encounters with baristas and clerks and folks I’m standing in line with, especially when I’m a half hour a head of time. These encounters teach me to pay attention to others, instead of the tizzy I’m in. And so I asked her, “Is this your first day?” She said that it was and smiled. We joked about what do you do on the first day on the job at Caribou when it isn’t busy. As it turns out, you have to get your name tag made and your apron on right… As I walked away, I wished her good luck.
In the car before I got to the office, I was thinking about the first days of different jobs I’ve had over my lifetime. How they were so often filled with so many questions and the apprehension of fitting in a new place. There is no rhythm on the first day at a new job. This lack of rhythm can throw us off, but it can also help us discover new things about ourselves.
At EPUMC we also enjoy a rhythm together. This helps us to find comfortable ways to become better acquainted with each other and grow in our relationship with Jesus. Today I want to both affirm this rhythm and ask you to aware of many who are among us, for whom EPUMC is a very new place.
Summer is a time when many folks get out of their rhythm and begin looking for a new or different faith community. Let’s be willing to sometimes step out of the familiar rhythm of talking to good friends in order to be attentive to those who are looking for a place to call their church home.
Keep the Faith,
Pastor Dan
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