Change is in the air - again. Plymouth is having discussions about the future of the church - again. Really, change is a constant. Something is always changing. Change can be scary, but thoughtful change is creative and positive. Sometimes destroying something to create a new thing is just...destruction. Sometimes, though, you cast aside what is negative and replace it with something positive. Exchange that which no longer works for something that is shiny and new.
As we go through this period of change, we must be careful not to be drawn to something just because it is shiny and new. Will it wear well? Will it serve Plymouth's goals for the future, and are they the goals that will serve Plymouth best? There is much to ponder and plan. Change can be destructive and cause lasting damage. Done wisely, change can be a wonderful thing.
In your personal life, you are always facing change. How well do you adapt to change? In How to be content: An inspired guide to happiness, Dr. Unger addresses changes that may cause you anxiety. Are there opportunities that these changes may offer? Think of all the positive things that have come into your life as a result of change. Something I learned long ago was that you may not be able to control these changes, but you can always control (or change) your attitude.
I am facing a big change. After much thought and prayer, I have decided to retire from my favorite job at the end of this year. I started work at Plymouth Church in September, 2006. During my years as the librarian, I curated a meaningful library collection, automated the catalog and circulation process, and brought awareness of the library and its programs beyond the walls of Plymouth. I will miss "messing around with books" the way Ratty in The Wind in the Willows loved messing around with boats. I will miss our visionary Library Committee who will continue to serve as stewards of the library. There they are at the Annual Appreciation Lunch on September 8 (and I appreciate that they came all the way to Anacortes). I will miss the staff and the congregation of Plymouth readers. Most of all, I will miss writing my weekly blog articles - 52 articles a year, every year since October of 2013. That's a lot of articles (okay, sometimes there were re-runs) and a lot of topics I had to come up with. I love doing it, and I will continue until the last Monday of the year, December 26. And I love that you have been reading the Library blog. Keep on doing that!
Here are some books on ways churches can, or should, change:
Why Christianity must change or die : a bishop speaks to believers in exile : a new reformation of the Church's faith and practice / Spong, John Shelby. 230 SPO
Christianity after religion : the end of church and the birth of a new spiritual awakening / Bass, Diana Butler, 277.3083 BAS
Creating the future together : methods to inspire your whole faith communities / Mead, Loren B. 253.7 MEA
The geography of faith : underground conversations on religious, political, and social change / Berrigan, Daniel. 261.8 BER
Leading congregational change: a practical guide for the transformational journey / Furr, James Harold, 253 HER
Transforming the mainline church : lessons in change from Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Hope / Chesnut, Robert A. 253 CHE
Plymouth Library also has many books on personal change and development. Here are a few:
Joyful wisdom : embracing change and finding freedom / Yongey Mingyur, 294.3 RIN
Waking up in time : finding inner peace in times of accelerating change / Russell, Peter, 128 RUS
When everything changes, change everything : in a time of turmoil, a pathway to peace / Walsch, Neale Donald. 204.42 WAL
The force of kindness : change your life with love & compassion / Salzberg, Sharon. 294.356 SAL