A lot of our church activities have that same ring of familiarity about them. We sing hymns, because we always sing hymns. We take up a collection, because we always take up a collection. We have Young Friends and Sunday School starting up in a few weeks, because we always have Young Friends and Sunday School every fall. All of the familiar things we do carry the danger of becoming simply maintenance, without any sense of why it is we're maintaining them.
Tradition is one of our strengths, but it can also be a real trap.
As we look at what we're doing this coming year, as our committees and working groups organize themselves, and make their plans, as new people come, and as we welcome them, I hope that we can keep these words in mind. We have a purpose . And it's more than just maintenance. We are called to be God's people, here in this particular time and place. We are called to teach, to witness, to pray, to make peace, to reach out, and to redeem.