Reflections on the move into the new auditorium

Reflections on the move into
the new auditorium
at the Mt. Martha Centre

In an earlier blog I reflected on the constancy of change.  The Greek Philosopher Heraclitus, some 2500 years ago, coined the phrase “nothing is constant except change”.  Author Alvin Toffler, in the 1970s, wrote the book “Future Shock”.  In the book he postulated that the generation then living had experienced more change than the previous 899 generations that had lived, up to that point in the world’s history.  When you think about it, history is change.
 
Our Mt. Martha Centre morning congregations face a significant change as they move into the new auditorium in October.  Two congregations worshipping as one.  A new time for the start of the service.  Other changes resulting from this significant change.

                                                                                                                                                                          In the lead up to the recent Special Church meeting, at which there was a report on the new worship arrangements, Pastor Duncan asked me to present a reflection on the move into the new auditorium.

 
At the time I happened to be reading a book entitled  “Ä Little History of the World”, written by a German author E.H. Gombrich.  In reflecting on history and memory, in a chapter entitled “Once Upon a Time”, the Author uses two metaphors:

(i) a shaft representing history; and

(ii) a lighted taper representing memory.

 

The taper is lit and dropped down the shaft.  For a start the taper is clearly visible  and the

light is clearly reflected on the walls of the shaft, representing the memory of significant

events, people etc.  As the taper spirals further down the shaft both the light and the reflections

gradually diminish until the reflected light on the walls of the shaft virtually disappears and the

light of the burning taper is barely visible.

 
So,, in looking back on world history, we can say: “once upon a time……”.
 
 
History, change and New Peninsula

 

There is a difference in applying the metaphors to the history of New Peninsula – our history as a church is not long enough for the light of memory to diminish to the point of obscurity.  But we can still say “once upon a time…..” as we look back on a relatively short history as a church.

• Once upon a time some Christians in Mornington and Rosebud decided to start a Baptist fellowship;
• Once upon a time each fellowship bought land and  built facilities;
• Once upon a time (in 1998) MBC sold their Moomba Street property, in faith, without knowing their future property location;
• Once upon a time MBC bought the Craigie Road facility and moved in (in 2000).
• Once upon a time (in 2006) the two churches united, as one church.

When we reflect on that short history, we can be thankful that the fellowships, when they were constituted as churches, did not include a clause in their Constitutions specifying that, under no circumstances, was anything allowed to change!

Fifty years from now the future generation of New Peninsula Members will look back on our church’s history.  The “history shaft” will be twice as deep as it is now.  As the lighted taper of memory spirals past the year 2012, what will be the “memory reflection” on the walls of the shaft?

 

Will it be a reflection of a picture of a positive, vibrant, faith-filled response to the continuing change and development as God leads us into His planned future for us, as a church?  Or will the reflection be a picture of negativity and fear of change, with an expressed desire that everything should remain the same, as we individually prefer it?  I trust that it will be the former, positive, response.
 
What keeps us stable in our commitment to our local church?

 

Pastor Duncan also asked me to reflect on the things that have enabled Sylvia and me to remain stable and committed as we have served as Members in nine churches, as we have moved geographically from place to place. Some things emerged from the process of reflection. We have consistently had:

• a love for God’s universal church;
• a  love for each local church in which we’ve served, as the particular localized expression of God’s universal church;
• a  love for the people, particularly those with whom we associate most;
• a  love of the ministries of each church;
• a strong sense that our local church membership is a significant part of God’s will, and call to serve Him.

Wilbur Ratcliff, the Treasurer of the Hughes Baptist Church, in Canberra, where we were Members for 14 years, had a way of saying that our commitment to our local church was like the commitment made in marriage – for better or for worse.  In which ever local church we worship and serve there will be the things we like (the “better” …and the majority!) and the things we don’t like (the “worse”).  Change churches and all you’ll do is change the mix!

May we be a people who celebrate change, as God leads us forward into the future He has planned for us as a church, and who remain stable in our individual commitment to New Peninsula, the local expression of His universal church, into which He has called us to worship and to serve.

Brian GOOD

August 25th, 2012