Exciting Times

by Jason Byassee

Jason Byassee

Do you remember the pattern of a new semester? Everything is fresh–new teachers, new subjects, new books, new routine. If you’re a nerd, like me (and not a few others among us in this academic town) all this is nearly thrilling.

Then a few weeks into the semester the work hits. The first tests, exams, papers, in short, work. Suddenly what seemed new and fabulous becomes difficult, the new patterns routine, the teacher who once seemed witty and exciting grows quirky and annoying. This is the key point in education. Will we press through the tedium and find the blessing at the other end? Or will we do just barely enough to get by?

A new semester has started and also matured. Public school and local college students have been back some weeks. Professors have new work too–papers to grade, tests to evaluate, leading them to wonder (like their students) whether assigning all this work in the first place was a good idea.

Here at Boone Methodist a new semester and a new academic year are underway as well, replete with fresh beginnings. We have been in a sermon series on the surprising faithfulness of God, which is about to give way to a new series on our new logo and graphics as a church. Confirmation begins this Sunday, with a new crop of young boys and girls set to become men and women as they profess faith in Christ for themselves, some of them seeking baptism in the New River next spring. Club 45 begins in children’s ministry as well, meeting at 3:45 (get it?!) on Wednesdays for bible study and disciplined pursuit of friendship, the way we Methodists do (for more information, contact Colette Krontz).

Youth group starts this Sunday as well, featuring new small group leadership and a new crop of students. As ever we will be sure no student is missed as they attend. All will be met where they are at in small group and not left alone there but encouraged toward deeper following of Christ, and so more full life (for more information, contact Andy Ellis).

New intensive bible studies are set to begin to begin as well. Jeff McClain will lead a new Disciple II bible study that will meet for the academic year–please see him for more info. I will be teaching a new course called the Covenant Bible Study that will meet for 24 weeks and bounce back and forth between Old and New Testaments around the theme of covenant (email me if you are interested). Grant Dean is set to offer a new round of Financial Peace University, which applies biblical wisdom to a hard nosed approach to budgeting and debt reduction. Sign up with this Google form. Very few people I know feel they know the bible or their personal finances with enough wisdom–these studies will help.

Our firewood ministry starts afresh this Saturday morning. When and where else can you get in great shape swinging an ax or a chainsaw while doing good for our neighbors who are praying right now for heat this coming winter? (Contact Jaimie McGirt, our interim mission coordinator if you can help). Our 30th annual Fall Bazaar is in full swing on the way to our unloading Sunday after church on September 14 and the opening of the sale the following Friday, September 19. The hundreds of volunteers who lead in this ministry and schedule their holidays around this week insist they do so not so much for the mission, though that’s good (the proceeds pay down our debt and help many local people and agencies). They say they do the work because they love the time together in friendship, as they sweat and work and laugh together (contact Rosie for more information).

There is something wonderful about a new year, until it becomes hard work. Precisely then is when something exciting is about to happen, if we stick with it, commit ourselves, and seek Jesus and others together.