Dear church family,
When I graduated from high school, my parents threw a party for me in our backyard. Friends and family members came to reminisce with us about 12 years of education and to celebrate this new chapter in life. I’ll never forget what one of the guests, the husband of one of my favorite science teachers, Mrs. Groves, told me. He pulled me aside and said, “Just show up.” I thought he was joking, but he assured me he was not, that 80% of success in life comes from just showing up. (Apparently, Woody Allen was the one to popularize this saying, but I certainly didn’t know that at the time.)
And do you know something? It’s true. This isn’t to say that hard work, intellect, creativity, or anything else isn’t important. But it is to say that that isn’t much use if you don’t first show up – whether at work, school, home, or in the community. Simply being present and attentive is way more than half the battle in life.
One of the things I love about this time of year is that it’s a season of showing up. School has started back. Sports are ramping up. And we, as a church family, are settling into a routine after summer vacation. We’re meeting new college students on Sunday mornings and seeing friends and church members we haven’t seen in months (or longer). It seems I’m not the only one who appreciates the in-person rhythms that September brings.
The challenge, though, is to continue showing up. It’s no secret that the pandemic has thrown a wrench in our lives over the past few years, and churches have certainly felt the pinch. Fear of sickness, the complexity of safety protocols, tension between friends and family members, and tightened budgets are all part of today’s “new normal.” We feel more disoriented and disengaged than ever.
And yet, if I may be so bold, let me say to you what Mr. Groves once said to me: “just show up.” Show up for worship, even if you’re sleepy or don’t like what the pastor’s preaching on or it’s easier to worship online from home. Show up for Sunday School and other small group opportunities, even if you’re not sure who will be there or how it’s going to go. Show up for suppers and prayer meetings and choir rehearsals and service projects. Show up, even if it’s hard, because you matter to our life together, to this beautiful, messy, Spirit-filled outpost of Christ’s Kingdom that we call the church.
See you Sunday,
Blake