CBS started today! I held my new smelling study notebook on Deuteronomy in my hands and smiled. It felt like a new start in learning who my God is, just like every new study does for me.
But things have changed a lot this year at CBS. Last year, we met at a regular looking church building, only a couple of miles from my house. I don't go to a traditional looking church (mine meets in a converted hotel), so it was a treat to come in and sit in wooden pews and gaze at the light coming through stained glass windows.
No more. I got a call this summer, telling me that CBS was moving to... the church I currently go to for MOPs. I made a face and got ridiculously upset. Not at the person telling me; it was a message. Just mad at the situation. See yesterday's post for more info about my love affair with change of all kinds.
See, I loved it at the old church, and I don't like the other church so much, layout wise. Its a converted industrial building, there are no windows in the nursery, and I don't think there's a playground. Seth loved the playground last year. And my one chance at pews and stained glass was going bye bye. I was not pleased.
But God in his mercy has taught me not to judge quite as quickly as I used to. I remembered all the times in the past that I went into a situation, expecting it to be bad, and came out surprised that it was better than I'd expected.
So today... all the little old ladies who also loved their church pews and all the mommies who were a little frustrated that their kids have no windows came together for the first meeting. We met in a hip coffee bar area of the industrial church building. Instead of pews, we sat at round tables. But all the familiar faces were there, beaming. We were just glad to be getting together to study God's word.
And as the new study leader talked, I began to see God's potential new plan forming...
-Because there is more space at the new church, there is more room for extra children's classes.
-Because this is a younger church, new young mommies signed up for the class, swelling the membership rolls with a new generation.
-Because there is more space, it is now possible to do leader meetings on the same day as the regular CBS day, thereby freeing up Tuesdays again for the current leadership.
-Because leadership doesn't have to commit to two days a week anymore, new leaders were inspired to commit.
-New leaders means that all the kids on the waiting list for the study were put into classes, so there are now many more kids studying the Bible on Thursday mornings.
-Because CBS now only meets on Thursdays, there are far less volunteers needed to watch the leader's kids while they meet.
-And now, those who help out with children on their given Thursday, can, *gasp*, listen to the lecture on the web because of the new technology the church provides, instead of having to stay afterward with their kids in child care.
Our 70-year-old, spunky study teacher is learning to use powerpoint, and she's chuckling instead of grousing about it. She talked about how great the tables were this morning for creating an informal atmosphere. We're all adapting, and it's beautiful to behold. If she can, I can, too.
I guess stained glass is overrated.
1 comment:
We're studying Genesis this year at our CBS. Today was our second week and it was really great! We meet in a gym that this church uses as their sanctuary and this year the church is having a pre-school, so it changed a lot with the kids. BUT It is great and Collin LOVES his class! Enjoy your study! I'd love to do Deuteronomy sometime.
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