Abnormal Is Real Living

It is hard to get back to normal if you’ve never been there. I am fighting the temptation right now to say things here at MHCC are getting back to normal for that exact reason—what IS our status quo? Do we have one? And if we do, should we be complacent in it? I would argue no, we do not have a status quo, and no, we should not seek complacency. And the good news is, I think I’m in the majority in that. 

Don’t get me wrong—I like general structure. I look forward to Sunday mornings each and every week, I cannot wait to rejoin the Wednesday Morning Bible Study soon (it is such a great group of folks, if you haven’t attended and have been waiting for an invitation, CONSIDER THIS IT), and whatever curve balls might come across the plate, I know we’ll swing with aplomb and grace. But I love that there’s not a normal that we seek—we’re alive, folks, and that’s fantastic. 

A few things are coming down the pipe in the next few weeks, and I do not think one of them is “normal.” On August 11, Amber will be preaching, and it will be fantastic as always. On August 18, we will be having another Men’s Breakfast and previewing the jazz service that will begin here at the end of each month. On August 25, the youth will be leading us in worship and that evening will be the official launch of the Jazz Vespers service. September means the Dallas Pride Parade, the launch of “Sundown School,” the restart of Sunday School for youth and children. October is about Creationtide, November is about the Song of the Church, and December brings us to Advent and everything after. It’s going to be a great rest of the year (did you know there’s only 138 days until Christmas?) and it will be joyous, welcoming, hopeful, engaging, challenging, and anything but normal. Unless we choose to define “normal” as “always changing and vibrantly alive,” but then paradoxes form and things get crazy. 

So here’s to abnormality, and a continuation of it. I look forward to seeing you all Sunday! 

Shalom y’all,

Arthur