Back in the habit - Rector's Rambling for November 13, 2016

Things continue to be busy at St. John’s.  In the past two months we have had four weddings, and now our fourth burial with the death of Edna Delaney.  In the mix we have also had Homecoming, our October Harvest Food Drive for Cross Roads, the Malawi Ingathering, two Cinema and the Spirit movie nights, Thursday night Bible studies, Sunday Adult Education and Sunday School, and meetings of the St. Catherine’s Guild and the Daughters of the King, just to name a few!  And, of course, we have had our share of services, both on weekdays with special Holy Days like All Souls, and of course our wonderfully sublime Sunday worship.

But there is no time to rest on our laurels.  Next week we have our town hall to discuss some proposed updates to the facilities, and the following week we have our Thanksgiving festivities.  Advent follows on the Sunday after Thanksgiving which means we start soup luncheons, the Giving Tree, a Women’s Advent Tea, and hosting of a wonderful concert to be given by the Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings.

Most important, in all the busyness of the coming weeks, is our attendance at Sunday worship!  I know that it has been hard to get downtown with all the construction this past year.  Some have admitted to me that they just got out of the habit of coming regularly.

Now is the time to get back into the habit.  The spiritual life is one that takes some discipline.  Grace is free, as is Salvation.  But if we want to grow into the people God wants us to be (and we should want to please Him), we have to have the discipline of regular church attendance, regular prayer and study of scripture, and engagement in the life of the Church.