For Everything There is a Season
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
September 3, 2006, 8:00 a.m.

The familiar passage we just heard from Ecclesiastes offers helpful wisdom for our lives and for our time here today. For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to weep and a time to laugh. A time to seek and a time to lose.

After almost ten years of gathering for this early service in this beautiful chapel, our journey comes to an end today. For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. As people of faith and hope, we believe that with every ending there is a new beginning. And so I am glad that you are here today to share in this celebration of worship. My comments will be fairly brief today, but I would like to invite you to consider three things that relate to our text and our time here today.

FIRST, THERE IS A TIME TO GRIEVE. I don't know about you, but my heart is heavy today. Even though it is time to let go, this is still a significant loss. I have deeply enjoyed getting up early with you all on Sundays-believe it or not! The beauty of this chapel and the morning sun shining through the windows has created a wonderful environment for worship. So I don't blame some of you for being upset. Some in the church family will wonder why we're resistant to this change. But if there's one thing I have discovered in my ministry-especially with older adults-change is a part of life and older adults are bombarded with numerous challenging changes.

I was reflecting upon how many things have changed since we started meeting together in 1997. Some of us have lost spouses or other loved ones. Some of our good friends who used to attend this service have passed away or moved away. Many of us have had changes in our health situations. Of course, there have been numerous good changes too-new babies and weddings and anniversaries and celebrations. For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. This is a time to grieve.

BUT IT IS ALSO A TIME TO GIVE THANKS. Today we have the opportunity to give thanks to God for our time together and the many meaningful moments we have shared-almost 500 worship services! Some of you were around when we first started talking about this service. Actually, I wasn't sure if we'd get it off the ground! Do you remember? I scheduled an organizational meeting the Sunday before we were going to start. Do you remember how many people showed up? Two. I think Jeanne and Gerald Beard were there, maybe another. But when we actually started the following Sunday, we had around 50 folks participate. And it remained that way for a while.
So I am grateful to God and to all who have been a part of the service and to all who have offered their services to make this service happen. We have had faithful coffee makers and cookie bakers who have gotten up early. We have had greeters and deacons and folks who helped to clean up after the service. And we have had many people working behind the scenes or rearranging their schedules to support this service. Sacristy team members, youth and adult elders, members of the choir.

Recently, Patricia and Denise have been coming in early to share their musical gifts-but their next responsibilities haven't been until the 11:00 a.m. service-so they have really made a wonderful effort to be present with us. So we have much for which to be grateful. This is a time to give thanks.

AND IT IS ALSO A TIME TO GET INVOLVED. It is my hope and prayer that everyone will get involved in another worship service. Although it won't be exactly like this one, it is important for all of us to find a place to participate. If the setting is the most important thing to you, the Saturday night service might be the best option. It is a warm and wonderful group of folks and the service is traditional. I encourage you to try it if you haven't already. If the early time is the most important thing to you, the 8:30 a.m. service might be the best option. Although it is a contemporary service, the important elements of worship are still present-communion, prayer, scripture and message. One of you mentioned that you weren't crazy about the more upbeat music at the beginning of the service-if that's the case, you can slip in after it's over. And who knows, you might like it! Eleanor Koon told me the other day that she really prefers the contemporary service now.

And if it is important for you to have a traditional service on the traditional day of worship-Sunday-then the 11:00 a.m. service could be your best option. And we need help at all of the services. We need people to do the same things many of you have been doing here. We need people to be present, to sing, to pray. We need people to be greeters and pass out bulletins, and serve communion. This is a very important time in the life of the church and it will take all of us giving our best and sharing our gifts to continue to make Beargrass a vital community of faith. This is a time to get involved.

Most of you received a copy of a letter that Cathy Zion sent me. With the wisdom and spirit of the author of Ecclesiastes, Cathy confessed that the changes in our Sunday Services offer mixed blessings. She said, "How ironic….or maybe not so ironic…that the recent sermon series has been 'Be.' 'Be Blessed….Be Changed.' We in the 8 a.m. Chapel service have been both. Our small group of early-rising worshipers has been blessed. We have been blessed with each other's friendship. We have become very close over the years. We've shared tears at the death of their loved ones, provided prayers of support during injuries and illnesses, and cheered at milestone birthdays and recognitions. In September, we'll be combining our small "family" with others in the church. We'll 'be changed.' We'll miss our intimate chapel service. While change is not always enviable it is inevitable. We embrace it with apprehension and appreciation. Although the service will be different, our wonderful ministers will still be there and, most importantly, God will still be there. Be changed….be blessed!" For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. This is a time to grieve, a time to give thanks, and a time to get involved. And through all of the changes and challenges in our lives, in the midst of all of our many blessings, God will still be there! God will be with us when we meet again!