Well, what do you know, my first-ever blog. I have been helping (actually, mostly learning)* about the new Springwood website and am very excited about its look and the opportunities it presents.
Such as the opportunity for me to write a blog. Which must have a topic of interest. And what intrigues me most about the website, and blogs and other social media phenomena is that so often what we human beings do is an attempt to connect with other people.
Connections matter. Connections add strength wherever they are formed. Connection is the real, true value of what we do within our church. Our gathering, our sense of being together, our sense of being ONE in some way gives us a peaceful and reasonable forum in which to agree or to disagree, a place to support each other in troubles, a venue in which to celebrate accomplishments-- connections with each other, but most importantly a closer connection to God. When we practice spiritual disciplines such as corporate worship, we strengthen our faith and we strengthen our bonds with other people who share that faith.
I am not a huge participant in social media. I don’t maintain a facebook presence (although I encourage you to visit Springwood’s facebook page!), and I definitely do not tweet. I would rather not text, but sometimes circumstances demand that I hunt and peck my way through that keyboard on the phone screen that is much smaller than my fingers. It took me a long time to understand what a ‘blog’ is. And now, I’m blogging. Times and techniques and standards for doing things change.
But it is still all about connecting with others. There was a time, I’m sure, when some people said that the telegraph or the telephone were silly toys that were not really necessary and would not last. But they came to understand the value of the connections that those new devices brought. Our world began to shrink, our far-away neighbors became closer in many ways if not physically, we learned more and more about more and more, and with every generation new and better ways of communicating - of making connections-- appear. The iPhone, ten years old this week, certainly helped move that along.
Old meets new: that is a connection that happens at Springwood. The photo of the two cars, one older and one electric, I think makes a great theme piece for us. Springwood has a lot of history, which we will be celebrating in the coming year, but also a desire to move forward into new challenges, develop new skills, new friendships, new ministries, new connections, between our “old” (that is, established) folks and new ones (of any age).
So, stay connected.
And keep thinkin’! It’s good for you.
*credit Kaytelyn Story of Southland Electrical for the vast marjority of the work!)