Seasons of Love
525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes – how do you measure, measure a year? In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee. In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. In 525,600 minutes – how do you measure a year in the life? How about love? How about love? How about love? Measure in love. Seasons of love.
The words are from the Broadway hit Rent http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8iTeDl_Wug and entitled Seasons of Love. While I’ve never seen the play, I have heard the music throughout this year. It is this song that has been on my heart the past few weeks as I’ve reflected upon life here at Messiah Church, because I have been asking that same question of our parish community.
How does one measure the growth of a church? Do we measure by membership? We are indeed growing as evidenced by an increase of nearly 100 people in parish membership just this year, and an attendance level at worship that has increased as well. Do we measure the growth of our faith by our giving, our tithing, and our stewardship? Certainly this community is giving more each year – we are on firm financial footings and I think we have made prudent financial decisions while increasing our charitable giving. Do we measure our faith community by our educational/formational programs? It’s amazing the number of children that are present in Sunday school and the young people in pre-Confirmation and Confirmation classes. The laughter that comes from our adult bible study is engaging, and every year it seems, more adults want to be a part of this process? Do we measure the church by the fellowship at our common meals? The Lenten Soup Suppers and the Harvest Meal, the youth pizza gatherings and the Autumn Barbeque are such festive life-giving moments filled with joy. Do we measure by the new construction – by the sheer size of the building – by the organization of property? Certainly the building plant is increasing as is our visibility on the east side of Madison. How do we measure a family of faith – how do we measure a year?
How about love? How about love? How about love? Measure in love. Seasons of love.
This one line from Seasons of Love haunts me, and challenges me, and inspires me. We should NEVER measure ourselves by our membership, or attendance; by our tithing or our giving; by our programs or our fellowship; by our building or our possessions! It is fine to look at these figures to get an idea of where we are going, and to use them to plan appropriately. Still, the only measure of Christian community is Christ. Have we been more Christ-like this year? Have we been more open to the poor and the weak? Have we grown in our understanding of brokenness and our willingness to forgive? We measure in love – Seasons of love.
Now while I can not quantify how Christ-like we have lived, I can say that I have often been moved by the service I’ve witnessed from parishioners. So many times this year people have served food at the shelters and spent their vacations on mission trips and worked at the food pantries. I’ve been impressed with the patience parishioners have shown to one another even in disagreements. I have heard people suspend their judgment and speak words of patient tolerance. These are the measures of love – the moments that we try to be like Christ, and there are so many more.
I do think we have come far this year – and always – I am so proud to be your pastor. Still, the measure of love is a difficult one. There is so much to do. There is so much room to be ever more like Christ. There is still so far to go! How do we measure a year? Measure in love. Seasons of love.
