Dear Rose Park,
Last night the Waterstone family drove to the south side of town to watch the Holland High School boys basketball team open up their season against Mona Shores at the Dutch Dome. If you didn’t know, our very own Corey Wolters is the head coach of the Dutch; if that wasn’t incentive enough, I also wanted to bring Sam, Simon, and Winn to my old school.
But as we parked the car, I quickly realized this was not the same school. The look of the school was completely different. Where once was a ‘California Campus’ (meaning there were multiple buildings so you could walk outside to all your classes) now stood one large massive building. If I thought the outside was different, it was nothing in comparison to the inside. I’m glad there was a crowd, or we might not have found the entrance to the Dutch Dome. As we watched the same, I felt nostalgic as I said hi to teachers and old family friends. I shared stories as we drove home and even as we put the kids to bed, but when I finally got the chance to sit down I noticed my mind was still going down memory lane. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it is tempting to allow our minds to remain there, isn’t it?
Danish theologian, Soren Kierkegaard once wrote, “life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forward.” It must be lived forward. Meaning, we learn from the past and look to the past for guidance and wisdom, but our lives must be lived moving forward and embracing the future. In other words, holding onto traditions isn’t a bad thing, cherishing memories isn’t a bad thing, and learning from previous generations isn’t a bad thing so long as we are also embracing the future. This is true in every organization, but especially the Church.
The Church would be served well if it could honor the past and embrace the future. If we are expecting the future of the Church to look like the past of the Church we will be disappointed or at the very minimum confused, just as I was upon entering Holland High School. The challenge for each and every one of us will be to love the past and embrace the future while remaining faithful and obedient to the working of the Holy Spirit throughout it all.
As we enter another Advent season and wrap up another calendar year, let us look to the past with tender hearts but also look to the horizon and embrace the future with hopeful eyes.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mark
PS: Holland beat Mona Shores 54-44, congrats Coach Corey!