One day, a little girl was asked by her teacher to name the four seasons. She thought for a moment . . . then catching a burst of insight quickly responded, “Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar!”

Solomon, the song-writer-poet, preacher, sage and king, reminds us in his book of seasons that there is a time and season for everything (Ecclesiastes 3). And such is the nature of life. Everything living goes through a cyclical routine—the question is whether it is for better or for worse. God wants it to be for the better. The tests, seasons, changes and transitions in life make life interesting and keep us from getting bored. They also keep us on our toes as well as our knees. Note the cycle of change:

  1. Healthy things grow.
  2. Growing things change.
  3. Changing things challenge us.
  4. Challenges force us to trust.
  5. Trust leads to obedience.
  6. Obedience makes us healthy.
  7. Healthy things grow.

As a church we are coming into some new seasons. Yes, there’s Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Year’s . . . but also the transition of seeing our senior pastor and wife, Dale and Becky Burke make a transition themselves, after 15 years of faithful service.

These seasons will continue to come for each of us throughout our lives, pruning our motives, simplifying our schedules, helping to keep us healthy and growing in our character, relationships and spirits. And as the Apostle Paul reminds us: Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap a harvest, if we do not lose heart and give up. (Galatians 6:9)

We want to invite you to help us celebrate two calendar seasons this year which we’ve combined to create a very special Thanks-Mas. [Details in this issue of Grapevine and other church publications.] We want and need to gather as a church family to celebrate, glorify and thank the Lord as we enter these seasons. If the apostle Paul, who had the greatest vocabulary of his day, was without words regarding the gift of the Savior, then perhaps we too should ‘ponder and wonder as we wander’—Thanks be to God for His ‘indescribable gift’! (2 Cor. 9:15)

From our family to yours, we wish you “seasoned greetings” as we enter these holidays. By John Coulombe.