“Pastor, sometimes there is just too much going on at that church!” This was a comment from a member who is a solid supporter of the congregation and its ministries. I’ve heard similar comments from others: some members and some not. The comments just run off my back as it were. I like the church to be busy and I am proud that we have a lot going on. Our forebears didn’t build this marvelous building to sit on the hill and look pretty. They built it to serve the community.

We do, however, have some very busy times. There are sometimes when I have to invest energy in organization and logistics. This weekend has been a good example. On Friday afternoon, the women set up and decorated for the Women’s Fellowship Christmas Tea. There was already a holiday crafts sale going on in the fellowship hall to raise money for a variety of ministries and projects. A little later in the afternoon, the community handbell ensemble moved in with their cases of bells and tables and other equipment and set up in the sanctuary. They had a rehearsal from 7 to 9 that evening. Yesterday the handbell ringers were back for a rehearsal from 1 to 3 and the Christmas Tea began at 1:15. After the rehearsal, all of the bells and equipment were taken down and stored and we set up for an evening Jazz concert. The concert involved projection on the big screen that had to be set up and a piano had to be moved into place. The pianist arrived at 3:30 and began rehearsing. Around 4 pm there were folks decorating in the fellowship hall. The craft fair had been taken down and items stored. People were going up and down the steps to the basement to get things put away.

The folks serving the evening meal arrived about 5 pm and people began to arrive around 6 for hors d’oeuvres in advance of the evening’s concert. It was a festive holiday gathering. The concert began at 7 with cool jazz interpretations of classical Christmas tunes. We were celebrating a successful capital funds drive with our congregation. Our new roof is installed and there are many more improvements coming thanks to the generosity of our members and we had much to celebrate.

After the concert, we took down the screen and got ready for this morning’s worship service with the sacraments of baptism and communion in the same service. We also set up some of the things for the Advent/St. Nicholas Festival that follows worship today.

Today I need to be at church early to rehearse with the organist for the liturgy and then with the choir for the anthem before worship begins. After worship, with the Advent Festival going on in the fellowship hall, the handbell ringers will arrive to set up their tables for their concert. Call for the performers is 12:45 with the concert beginning at 2:30. As a member of the board of directors for the handbell choir, I agreed to serve as M.C. for the concert, so I’ll have to have my notes straight and be set to keep on track of that event.

Then the bells and tables need to be taken down and loaded into the trailer to be transported back to their home in another church in our community. I’ll be joining “The Well” for their gathering at 4 pm and should have the church locked up and be on my way home before 6.

I’m going to take tomorrow off.

This weekend isn’t typical. There really is no such thing as typical in our church life. It is busy. And I like busy. I also think that busy is good for our church. The bottom line is that very few people participate in every event that takes place. There are folks who attended one event yesterday who will attend another today. A few will attend a couple of events in the same day. Most will choose from the wide variety of events and participate in ways that are meaningful for them.

Of course just being busy isn’t what the church is about. We are about activities and events that are meaningful and that enhance our community. We exist to serve others, not entertain ourselves. And sometimes we need to remind ourselves of that call to service. Sometimes we get caught up in the busy-ness of activity after activity.

I sometimes forget that there are many who only sample part of the life of the church. In the past week, I’ve attended a couple of funerals, made two different calls to people in that difficult time between receiving positive biopsy results and the first meeting with the oncologist. I’ve met with committees strategizing mission projects and planning a transportation program for those in our church who are no longer able to drive. I’ve worked on the production of a newsletter and worship bulletins. I’ve been through a draft of the Christmas Eve service and discussed music with some of our guest musicians for Christmas worship. I’ve planned a baptism and recalled the baptism of the mother of this new little one. I’ve rejoiced with another couple at the birth of their first daughter. I get to see the church as a whole – a wonderfully complex and busy slice of humanity engaged in building meaning and sharing the best and worst moments of our human journey through this life.

Not everyone gets to see the richness that is apparent from my point of view. Some only see one hour a week. Others only see the events that attract people who are interested in the same things as they.

We don’t do this to impress others, however. We do this for God. And God keeps tabs on us. God knows what we’re about. God understands that in the midst of the busy there is real humanity and God is so in love with people – so interested in being in relationship with us – that God pays attention to everything we do.

And that is just right.

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