This week thousands of children and young people, across our Presbytery, have headed back to school - with their new schoolbags and new uniform. After a six week holiday it will no doubt be a bit of shock to the system. But before long the routine will become familiar once more and hopefully there will be enjoyment in the midst of the learning.
Whilst the church calendar does not follow school terms, it can often feel like congregational life mirrors the pattern set by the educational system. It's quieter over the summer months as people are away. September is then often the time when church groups start back and the next few weeks can involve lots of meetings and preparation. If you have a big project planned for the autumn, getting going in September can be the key to building momentum and getting things progressed.
Things are busy in the countryside too, with the harvest season in full swing - from the crops in the field to the fruit ready to be picked in our gardens.
There's a lot going on. And it's no different for the Presbytery. With the first meeting of the new session coming up in a month's time, committees are meeting to discuss their remits and there is much being worked through following this year's GA. From collating trustee data and office bearer returns, to updating the yearbook, our part-cover cover, Patricia, is kept busy.
As we move to a different pace from the summer months, what will sustain us? How do we avoid simply getting busy for the sake of it? Where is God's leading in the midst of all the 'productivity'? And is the pace we're adopting the right one?
Japanese theology Kosuke Koyama wrote a booked entitled 'Three Mile an Hour God'. In it, Koyama writes about a Jesus who intentionally chose to move slowly, roughly the speed we still use to cover that distance today on foot, about a mile every twenty minutes. Three miles each hour. Jesus took an unhurried approach to life - although we would never think of him as not fulfilling everything that God the Father asked of him. Koyama concludes that “God walks slowly because he is love. If he is not love,
he would have gone much faster.”
As much around us speeds up and the list of things to get done grows, perhaps it is good to be asking ourselves the question - 'what is the right pace for the coming season?'.
We look forward to seeing as many of you as can make it onsite to our September meeting. This is a fantastic opportunity to build connections, particularly with those who are new to our Presbytery. We are excited to be welcoming Prof Paul Nimmo to speak to us about the Nicaea in this anniversary year. Please make every effort to attend and don't forget to register.
Rev Stella
