On most Sundays worship really starts at dawn. The birds are singing, the rooster crows and we have this very peaceful time to reflect on the week and plan for what is ahead. When our kids were young we were fortunate enough to own a lake house on the north side of Houston . Two high powered jobs left us wanting quite and quality family time. Before cell phones and with no TV we took rides in the canoe, went out to swimming island and watched the dog try to figure out what to do with a box turtle. Most Sundays we made it back for church. Not only was our congregation full of friends very involved in mission and outreach but we needed time to transition from the calm to gear up again for the busy week ahead.
We know that many working parents have not made church a priority. The traditional services that are full of meaning to those who have come to a strong understanding of their faith may not seem very relevant to parents of young children that rarely went to church. More modern music and a projector has impact for some but in either case it tends to be the relationships with other believers that flesh out what church is all about.
I know that as a young adult church was often the only time during the week that my mind was not focused on my work and my personal priorities. This quiet hour gave me some perspective and eventually, with time, my focus changed to what was happening in the service. I started to better appreciate that the hour was not just defined by the sermon or the music. I saw value in confession, the offering and prayer. I wanted to learn more and recognized that for all the books and studied I had read I had not yet read the bible. Church helped me better define who I am, what I believe and my priorities. I have come to see faith as the most important part of my life.
So as I reflect on Sunday morning I trust that some of our campers see what I see as dawn approaches, I hope that those who walk our spiritual trail are touched by some of the richness the bible has to offer. I pray that people of faith find effective ways to make churches more a place you want to be and less of something you feel you should do. Lets remember that in the end its not about how many mountains you climbed, how many dollars you earned or how many experiences you had- its about relationships and honoring the glory of our creator. Amen.
