A New View from Our Window

Moving day is coming soon. It’s hard to believe how fast the summer has gone by. Boxes are starting to stack up in the Bette Hahn room and several cherished items have found new homes. As we have gone through closets, cabinets, and drawers, one common question keeps popping up:  Will we use this in future and is it worth moving? So far things are going well. The truth is that this congregation has always been good about not holding on to  too much. Of course any move can be emotional at times. 410 North Broad has been our home for generations. I’ve enjoyed hearing stories about the history of the church as we have planned for our future move. This is a big change for our congregation. We are a church on the move! It's hard to envision what life will be like at our new home on the corner of St. James Ave. and Washington St. Will being part of a shared space change the way we do ministry? What will Sunday mornings feel like?How will people connect with us in our new home? According to American author Rachel Hollis, “Moving doesn’t change who you are. It only changes the view outside your window.” Still, as we transition to a new residence, there have been a few things we have had to consider. Not everything can stay the same. One thing that is evolving in our move is the church logo. Our church is currently using a sketch of our church building and cross to reflect our ministry. It is used on letterhead, stationary, and our weekly church bulletin. As part of the transition, a team of church members are working with a website developer to help  rebrand and market our church. One thing we have been tasked to do is design a new logo that reflects us at SPC.  Easier said than done. After weeks of hard work and prayer, we agreed on a design which incorporated both the traditions of our past and the excitement and hope of our ministry moving forward. Our new logo includes the cross from the church yard with waves representing ‘living water’. The celtic cross symbolizes faith, hope, balance, connection, wisdom, and life; all things reflected in our congregation. The circle within the cross represents eternity and the endlessness of God’s love. We also wanted to acknowledge our passion for mission as a Spirit-Driven church through the image of a wave. John 7:38 states “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”I look forward to our new adventure together. I know that there may be some challenges around the bend. Thomas Fuller said it best, “All things are difficult before they are easy.” It will take time to get used to this change.  Remember, this isn’t the first time our congregation has been a church on the move.  SPC is more than a building, it is us and I am so thankful for your faith and hope through all of this. To quote Henry Ford, If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” And when things get overwhelming, which they probably will, I invite you to meditate on a line of scripture from Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Amen!