As my toddler’s vocabulary expands by the day, I find myself not just teaching him words, but also teaching him about words. When driving by a construction site the other day, we talked about how the word “building” can refer to a “thing” (aka a noun) or to an action (aka verb). We could see that people were building something—there were large trucks, mounds of gravel, bricks, scaffolding, and wooden beams. We could also see that they were making a building—a structure was about four stories high, maybe an apartment building. We talked about how there were a lot of silly words like this, that did many jobs, and that it was fun to listen for these words.
The word season is another one of these “silly” words. It can be a thing, an era of time, sometimes marked by a solstice or equinox, by changes in weather, or by an event that extends over time. It can also be an action, the work of spicing something up, adding extra flavor to a food or even to an experience.
Within our life of faith, we mark many “seasons” this February:
Liturgically, we honor a brief stretch of the larger season of “ordinary time”—the 33 or 34 weeks throughout the year where we focus on the life and teachings of Jesus in worship in general, rather than a particular aspect of the mystery of Christ. Then, on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 26), we transition to the liturgical season of Lent—the 40 days preparing for our celebration of Easter (not including Sundays!) where we focus on our need for a Savior.
Culturally, February marks a season of celebrating Black History Month in which we acknowledge and give thanks for the lives, accomplishments, and impacts of African American persons throughout history—while also affirming our commitment to speak and stand against the injustice of racism that has likewise permeated our nation’s history.
Congregationally, February will mark the beginning of a season of sabbatical for Pastor Randy and his wife Beth, who will be out of the country for 10 weeks. During this season, Pastor Randy will have an opportunity to rest and rejuvenate, and Pastor Patrice and I will share a season of deepened leadership in his absence.
As all of these seasons converge, we are invited to collectively explore the unique flavor (or seasoning!) of this time together. We will hear familiar voices in new settings and welcome teachings of new voices, with an ear to God’s call in new ways. We will elect a new slate of church officers at our Congregational Meeting, giving thanks for the unique and varied gifts offered by those who have faithfully agreed to serve in new ways. And we continue our day-to-day work together—in mission, education, worship, and administration—honoring transitions in staffing with an openness to how God is moving us forward in ministry.
What seasoning (forgive the wordplay!) do you bring to this season of our shared ministry together? How are you being called to offer your gifts? What burdens are on your heart? Which prayer practices might you be called to explore? Who might you invite to worship?
I give thanks to God for the unique flavor of our shared ministry together—for our collective desire to be merciful, to enact justice, and to walk humbly with our God. May we heed Christ’s call to be the “salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13), so that all may know the goodness and love of God in Christ.
—Pastor Heather