I am writing this in Vienna, Austria, where we are spending a couple of weeks visiting members of our family. The city is so much older than any Australian city - it has a way of being 'in the land' rather than 'on the land', somehow deeply connected with its history and location. There is change since we were last here not two years ago, yet it is the same. There is a rhythm to the change that occurs here - and that rhythm is life itself.
Change is a symptom of life. We grow older, if nothing else! If we stop noticing change, we are no longer alive. To be more alive, then, we should be alert for change. This is what happens automatically when time 'stretches' on the first week of a holiday, or when we experience something new. The rest of the time, we turn down this awareness - except when we stop to 'smell the roses'.
Our collective life at Parkdale Church of Christ is changing. We welcome Tania Rose as our Families Minister; and we welcome her family into our community of faith. This is a time of awareness of change for the community as well as for Tania and her family. May the Spirit of God work within us all, bringing new life as we grow in friendship and trust!
Tania's coming will gradually change our community, and this is necessary. Churches must adapt or die in this century of increasingly rapid change. Technology is another part of this - it facilitates the spreading of new ideas, but can so easily lead to a shallow life and be exploited for the benefit of a few. It is important that technology does not replace our connection to the deeper rhythms of life, in which we perceive God's hand. Face-to-face communication with other people helps to maintain this connection - which is why I am in Vienna, even though Skype keeps us in touch at other times of the year. It is my hope that with Tania's help, we may extend this sense of connectedness to each other and to God more widely, guided from within by the Spirit of God. - Steve