A Time of Hope and Promise

One of my favorite hymns was written by Natalie Sleeth.  She titled it “Hymn of Promise.”

In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree;

in cocoons, a hidden promise; butterflies will soon be free!

In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be,

unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

There’s a song in every silence, seeking word and melody;

there’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me.

From the past will come the future; what it holds a mystery,

unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

In our end is our beginning, in our time, infinity;

in our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity.

In our death, a resurrection; at the last a victory,

unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

Words: Natalie Sleeth, 1986
Music: Natalie Sleeth, 1986 (As found in The United Methodist Hymnal, Pg. 707)
Hope Publishing, 1986
Tune: Promise

 Greenbelt Community Church UCC is about to decide its leadership for the next years to come.  “In our end is our beginning” will be “in our end is your beginning.”  It is a time of hope and promise – “something God alone can see”.

I have been blessed to share two seasons of your life in my role as Interim Pastor.

“From the past will come the future; what it holds a mystery, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.”

In this process of transition, I will not be sending out a “Young Thoughts” next week.  I want you to give your full attention to making the time to come and meet Rev. Love in person and in participating in worship on August 24 and the Congregational Meeting following.  There, you will be the ones to say if you feel God’s Spirit at work bringing into your future the gifts and graces of Rev. Love.

I invite you to enter into prayer.  What seeds have been planted within you that would be nourished by the person coming before you as candidate for your settled pastor?  How willing are you to become active in different ways in the life of GCC so that the seeds of the Spirit planted in this church break forth in full bloom?

You have been longing for the stability of a Settled Pastor.  In the meantime, you as a congregation have stepped up and done the work of the church.  For that I am profoundly thankful.  Now will not be the time to stop.  Seeds that sit in earth and do not reach the stage of germination and growth will wither away.

Another favorite hymn of mine is “Called as Partners in Christ’s Service”.  Through the Candidating Weekend and the extension of a call, you are saying you will be a partner with your new pastor in the service of Christ.  Your vote is an affirmation of your willingness to enter into that sacred partnership.

“See” you Labor Day Weekend!  We still have a little work to do together.