The Nature of Change

Rev. Christina Berry

Executive Presbyter

Dear Friends,

I love sunflowers. This time of year, when the wild sunflowers are filling the ditches and byways, may be one of my favorite seasons in Kansas. Sunflowers, as

you know, are heliotropic – they turn toward the sun. And they signal the change of season. In fact, I am writing this letter to you on the autumnal equinox. From now until spring, the days will grow shorter and the nights will grow longer.

This change of season as I begin my third year as your Executive Presbyter has me reflecting about the nature of change. Sometimes change is easy, sometimes it is not. Even welcome changes, like a new baby or a wedding, are stressful events. Whether changes are welcome or unwelcome, even when we know they are necessary, they can produce more stress, even resistance. Change is inevitable. We’ve been through a lot of changes in the last two years: new activities, new people, new approaches. And we’ve reclaimed some old practices that may feel like big changes: connecting, guiding, visiting more churches and Sessions, being more present in the lives of our congregations.

In a couple of weeks, the Presbytery Coordinating Team will be meeting for a daylong retreat as we prayerfully discern how to lead the Presbytery in the coming year. We don’t know what changes will come to us unexpectedly, but we do know that we will introduce some changes. Ronald Heifetz famously said that “Leadership is disappointing people at a rate they can absorb.” In other words, leading through change is certain to be disappointing to someone. I would add that leadership is having the courage to disappoint people.

Last year on the Ruby Slippers Tour we talked about courage, heart, and brains. We have all three, but this coming year, I think we may need to call on our courage the most often. In The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis said that “Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” In other words, wisdom, love, skill, goodness, all require courage when we are tested. In times of challenge and adversity, courage is the first virtue we must claim. Fortunately we can rely in these times on the promise of Jesus, who said, “I have said this to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution, but take courage: I have conquered the world!” (John 16:33)

So you might well be asking, “What does this have to do with sunflowers, Christina?” And as unoriginal as it may be, I would answer that like the sunflowers, we turn our faces to the source of light: Jesus. He is with us in this moment, and we can draw courage from that reality. When we are tested, challenged, uncertain, we can turn toward the Son. And in the night, we can rest well, knowing that the sun is still there, shining even when we cannot see it. God in Christ is with us, so take courage, and turn your face to the Son.