From the Pastor's Desk

Seeing things from a different angle can be quite enlightening! We've just returned from 3 weeks of vacation. It was a great 3 weeks which involved some time here in Vero (consisting mostly of major kitchen renovation at our home and fishing) and some time in Gatlinburg TN where we gathered with our 4 kids, their spouses (minus one who had to work) and 2 grandbabies. It was wonderful all being together as we played games, watched movies, ate, walked in the woods and streams, watched the hummingbirds, saw a couple of bears, etc. It was a real blessing.

And now, it's good to be home and back to work. That's one of the best parts of getting away and being on vacation. The time apart helps you appreciate being back home and back to work. In fact, on the last day day of my vacation I received an article from a friend, via email, about clergy today. The article referred to various health problems, depression, over use of medications, stress, unhappiness, etc. It went on to say that part of the problem is clergy not taking vacations or time away or apart. (I also think part of the problem is a form of arrogance on the part of clergy who act like it's "their church" and not God's! But that might be another conversation.) Anyhow, I very much appreciated the time apart.

What part of being away offered, along with some good R&R, was the opportunity to worship in 3 different congregations, which gave me a view from the other side. It was really nice to get to the church a few minutes before worship began, be able to participate, be fed, and then be able to leave when worship was over! What that perspective did was shoot some real holes in excuses I sometimes hear for people not going to church:

1) Sunday is the only day I have to sleep in. What?? One can still sleep in and get to church in plenty of time if one goes to a later service. Or, come to worship on Saturday evening and sleep til noon on Sunday!

2) Sunday is family time. What better "family time" could one have than some time together in church?! To be able to go to church with your family is a real blessing! The world barrages us daily, hourly, with it's messages of "buy this" or "buy that" or "do this" or "do that" to be happy, fulfilled, or whatever. An hour together in church puts us in a place to hear another Word, a Life giving Word. Just the effort of going, whether the sermon or hymns are great or not so great, tells our children, and each other, that there is a God and there is more to life than what we get caught up in on a daily basis. Then upon hearing that other Word, we can bring something special back into our daily lives.

3) Going to church takes up too much of the day. I've almost fallen for that one before, since for us pastors, we're usually at church between 7 and 7:30 in the morning and don't leave until 12:30 or 1pm during the season, and even with one Sunday service, we're here about 8:30 and don't leave until 11:30 or 12. That is a pretty big chunk of time. But, while on vacation, I realized that going to church was more like an hour, or hour and a half including commuting time! That sure isn't a big chunk of time, (how much more time than that is wasted in front of a TV!) but it sure is an important chunk of time! A lot of the day is left after that! Or if you go to a late service, I've known guys who have gone fishing early Sunday morning and have been in church following that! Really!

So, for me, that view from the other side these past few weeks have shed some new light once again on the blessing, the importance and the wonderful opportunity we all have in being able to gather for worship. Don't let some lame excuses get in the way for you to gather with other folks to hear that "other Word", that Word that gives Life and Hope and that feeds and nourishes us to take on another week.

It's nice being home. See you in church!

Pastor A.C. 'Jack' Diehl III