By The Rev. Dr. Carl Grosse

Do you have a junk drawer?  One benefit of our peripatetic work life is that Denise and I have had to unload stuff. Over the years, we just acquired things that seemed useful at the time but then collected dust in the junk drawer. Seriously, just how many nutcrackers and basting skewers does one need (or old lamp parts, telephone cables, etc.)? I know our progeny’s answer would be zero.

Going through rooms in the church building in preparation for the flooring and remodeling project brings out stories, which I love. Hearing about classes of yesteryear and events from back when makes the communion of saints more present. We should tell more stories. However, we also encounter the “why is this still here?” moments. Maybe the hoarder instinct is more prevalent than we are comfortable admitting, and our church simply reflects who we are. Or maybe we’re waiting for the production company that will pay us when they use OUR building to film the church scenes from their 1960’s-era blockbuster movie (that’s my old sarcasm kicking in). 

The Library is transformed, and I invite you to check it out. All we did was unload a bunch of old stuff no one was going to use – like Buff Bride magazines and special offering envelopes from 27 years ago – and moved a few things around. A couple of weeks ago I talked about change and the main focus we need to keep in front of us. Sometimes, going through stuff can remind us of what really matters, help our surroundings better fit with how we live now, and prompt us to tell good stories.