There is a place where the sidewalk ends
and before the street begins,
and there the grass grows soft and white,
and there the sun burns crimson bright,
and there the moon-bird rests from his flight
to cool in the peppermint wind.
Many folks are familiar with the artist Shel Silverstein. Shel found creative expression in prose, verse, artwork, and music. His eccentric poetry and his accompanying line drawings have been a favorite of teachers, parents, and children for decades. Full of humor and whimsy, his poetry traverses the gamut from silly to thoughtful to profound—sometimes all in the same poem.
When a group of First Church folks gathered last fall to plan ahead for our upcoming worship seasons, one of Shel Silverstein’s poems entered our conversation—Where the Sidewalk Ends. This poem came to mind because we were talking about the journey of Lent. We recognized that the last few years have felt a little bit like we’ve come to a place where the sidewalk ends. We’ve left familiar terrain and planned pathways and are now exploring new ground that is lacking any predetermined routing.
Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
and the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
we shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow
and watch where the chalk-white arrows go
to the place where the sidewalk ends.
For our season of Lent, we are going to explore this uncharted territory. Lent begins February 22 with Ash Wednesday. Our worship theme this year is called Seeking: Honest Questions for Deeper Faith. Seeking has always been a part of our Christian story. During this season we will ask questions and examine the stories of people with questions who encountered Jesus—Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman at the well, the man born blind—to name a few. Our worship time will be enhanced with original artwork and poetry and music. We will offer opportunities to engage in interactive questioning and conversation.
During our Sunday School hour, I will be leading an all-church study in the Activities Center. We will use a resource created by United Methodist Pastor, Adam Hamilton, called Creed: What Christians Believe and Why. This study will help us engage with the questions of our faith through the ancient language of the Apostles Creed. This journey will be an exploration we do together and will also function in a couple of additional ways. First, for new people who wish to join First Church, this study will function as a new members class and allow our new community friends to interact with other First Church members as companions on a journey together. The Creed study will also be the first six weeks of a confirmation experience for the youth who will be embarking on their confirmation journey. They will use a youth study guide and be supported by our family ministry team. I am excited about this is a multi-generational exploration in which we can all take part.
During this season of Lent, I hope you will engage in the spiritual practice of seeking. I encourage you to stay curious, open, and nimble, like children hop-scotching on a chalked sidewalk. And when we run out of sidewalk, I hope we can soften our assumptions and expand your perspectives. I pray that our time together will create a safe space to explore—to be drawn more deeply into the fullness of life and allow ourselves to sink into the loving heart of God in ways we have never experienced.
Yes we’ll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
and we’ll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
for the children, they mark, and the children, they know,
the place where the sidewalk ends.
Peace and blessings,
Pastor Duane
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