More blogs »Posted on Aug 31 2012

Now that it is September, we are ending the Beach Service and moving our primary service back to 10:00 AM. After two months, I’m going to miss this service. This year, when I arrived at this church, I was told about our summer (July and August) beach service down on Breakwater Beach. The early question was whether I would want to continue it. The military trained me that it was better not to change anything when you first assume an assignment, rather leave things in place long enough to really determine whether a change was necessary. And so I said “sure!”, before next asking what time the service was held. Seven Thirty AM. Outside I smiled and nodded, internally I though “SEVEN THIRTY?!?!” You see, I’m not a morning person.

But, how can you say ‘no’? So, that first Sunday Morning in June, I was out there faithfully with the rest of our crew getting ready. In fact, I was very early, another military artifact is I can’t stand the idea of being late. And so I got out of my car and walked to the beach as I waited on other folks to show up. As I did so, all those feelings of reluctance were overcome by how NICE it was to be out on the beach that early in the morning. The short sermon, or homily, was going to be about Jesus one of the times He was on the beach. Being there on Breakwater Beach, the sun making its way up into the sky, the waves lapping on the shore motivated me greatly. My reluctance at getting up early enough to be properly ready for the service was overcome by how pleasant it was out there. There is something fresh about it, and primal. I felt closer to God out there, right out in His world without walls and windows to ‘protect’ me from the elements. When everybody arrived, the service and all the rest of them this summer were short, fun, and spiritually refreshing. I will miss these times greatly.

We most likely will do this again next year, in July and August as we’ve done since before I came to our church. In the meantime, enjoy the extra sleep. And if you’d like us to extend this schedule, come to church and let us know. I can promise you an open ear!