Change Happens

By Pastor John Schmidt

Change can be hard. I feel it right now, when I begin to walk to someone's office, only to be reminded that their office has moved. (Or, when I turn to enter a classroom that no longer exists.) These types of things seem to happening a lot lately. My habits haven't caught up with reality.

The reality is that a lot is changing about the physical layout of Central Presbyterian Church. The big hole in the back is beginning to take shape, and the front is beginning to have a roof line. Construction is progressing on schedule, with a flurry of activity surrounding the church almost every day. Sometime in the early fall, the front will be complete. But in the meantime, we're making adjustments week by week.

I want to give a special thanks to the Preschool teachers and administration who have done a wonderful job of coping with all kinds of disruptions. Their entire routine has been altered, and won't return to normal until the entire project is complete. The Children's Ministry has done a great job of making Sundays work well, despite the changes. Adults have learned to find their favorite classes in new places (except those moments when you go to the old spot without thinking!) You have put up with an overly warm Sunday service (the air conditioner won't be reconnected for a few weeks), and having to journey through the rain to find an entrance to the church that didn't require wading boots to cross the threshold.

Things will get a bit worse before they get better. At the end of May, the partition will go up that will block off the whole Student Ministry side of the building from the rest of the church. (Some people think that's an improvement, but I won't go there.) During the summer months, details of almost everything in that part of the building will change. Rooms will disappear and be rebuilt in the new floor plan. And while all that is happening, we will have to make even more temporary adjustments on the way to the new look and new functionality of our future.

As hard as all of this is, it would be ten times worse, except for the diligence of the Building Committee, Brad Horn (the Facilities Manager) and Jim McClure (the Director of Ministry Support). They have made all kinds of major decisions in a timely fashion; they are on site to make sure things are progressing; they troubleshoot the problems, and in general, by their foresight and effort, have made life a lot easier for all of us. Be sure to say a word of thanks. (They are easy to find; they are the ones with more gray hair!)