A Season of Formation

Growing up in Brazil, but having spent half of my life here, I still remember what it felt

like experiencing my first Spring in New York. Probably, because my reaction to the

changing seasons hasn’t changed much. Every time Spring or Fall comes around, I’m so

ready to say goodbye to Winter or Summer, respectively.

Few big cities have the amount of natural beauty one finds in Rio de Janeiro, but

Seasons are not very distinct there. Part of me misses the wonderful beaches, the year-

long sun, and the beautiful greenery of what’s left of the Atlantic Forest. But, I have

grown to love and expect with anticipation all that the different seasons bring. Just like

our Church Calendar, it can be a great reminder of the different seasons in our life. Its

cyclic nature makes me think of the fact that we are all a work in progress. There’s

constant change happening within us.

Every year it seems like new areas of our lives experience death and new birth. God, in

his love and wisdom, walks with us in this beautiful and long suffering way.

Todd and I have been talking a lot about what a season of formation means for all of us

as Christians, and especially for us at Mariners’. If you talk to people outside of the

Christian faith, you might be surprised at how common it is for people to think of

Christians as ‘set in their ways’. Similarly, I have also talked to many Christians, who

behave as if our faith was primarily dogmatic and restrictive.

Yes, there’s definitely some pillars of our faith we should hold on to. We say them in the

Nicene Creed. However, the mystery of God revealed in Christ requires much more than

learning a few things about God, and the practice of religion. Our faith and our lives do

require pruning and new growth.

Just last week, Christiane and I wrote about a practice we called Pause and Reassess.

(click here) In the context of religiosity, one may look at that as unnecessary. But, when

we approach our faith as an ongoing intimate relationship with the Almighty, we can see

how we must be in a lifelong season of formation.

Having that in mind means that Lent may be coming to an end in the calendar, but not

in our hearts. In reality, our lives are not like the weather seasons or the Church

Calendar. We are much messier and more complex than that. We hold paradox in a way

nature cannot. There’s an ongoing need to die to ourselves and receive life in the Spirit.

God knows that, and has made it possible for us. It is why being in Christ and becoming

more Christ-like is such an amazing privilege available to us all.

We pray that you may be able to celebrate Spring, Lent, and Easter in the context of your

relationship with God, as well as in the context of what that means for Mariners’ as part

of His Body of believers.

May we all continue to welcome with anticipation all the ways the Holy Spirit shapes us

into Christ-likeness throughout all the seasons of our lives.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed

away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Blessings and Peace,

Dr. Christiane and Rev. Todd