Change, Compassion and the Body of Christ

“…In the coming weeks and months together, let us be grateful for all that God is doing, this “new thing” that springs forth from Divine Love. And let us be patient with each other as we figure out how we practically live into this new reality.”

Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” - Isaiah 43:18-19

Lots of new things are happening at Pilgrim! We’re grateful for the merger with Riverview Park Christian Church, the coming together of our two congregations, and the blessing of a renewed spirit that comes when we gather with even more members of the Body of Christ. 

We are fed by our decision to have communion every week, experiencing the healing and inspiration that comes from sharing the bread and the cup, the body and blood of Christ each Sunday.

We are hopeful for the ongoing conversation and connection with Zion UCC, as we explore what a shared future might look like.

That’s a lot! And while change can be good, and a blessing from God, it can also be a little disorienting and challenging. We all need to allow space for both rejoicing in the new things God is doing in our church, but also getting used to new realities, new people, and new ways of being a community of Jesus’ disciples.

One blessing to rejoice in is that our two congregations coming together gives an example of uniting the Body of Christ. Both Pilgrim and Riverview Park come from denominations (the United Church of Christ and Disciples of Christ, respectively) that are committed to Christian unity. Our merger is a real-life application of that commitment.

So, as we unite our congregations, some things will work well right away, and other things will take a little longer to figure out. But in our faithfulness to God and each other, we will grow in ways we never expected and discover the Love of God in places and people that will surprise us.

In the coming weeks and months together, let us be grateful for all that God is doing, this “new thing” that “springs forth” from Divine Love. And let us be patient with each other as we figure out how we practically live into this new reality. That love, patience, and discovery is yet another example of being the Body of Christ in the world, an example for which I am deeply grateful.