I can remember my first time riding on a roller coaster at a theme park called Wild Waves and Enchanted Village near my house in Washington. This park was only open for about three months out of the year because otherwise, it was too cold. And even when it was open, most of the time, it was still pretty cold.
But if it was too cold for the waterpark, then it was the perfect time for a rollercoaster. My parents bought me and my two brothers summer passes one year. We went almost every day. My younger brother and I would ride the rollercoaster over and over again. The fun part about rollercoasters is that you never know what comes next. One moment you are slowly climbing to the top of the track. The next moment you are plummeting down as your stomach begins to drop. (I love that feeling.) Then suddenly, you are twisting upside down as you hold on for dear life.
Have you ever heard anyone say, “My life feels like a rollercoaster?”
Sometimes life is full of twists and turns that you don’t see coming. And although that is fun for rollercoasters, it can feel overwhelming in life. An unexpected illness, the loss of a loved one, a challenging divorce–these are the times of life when we need extra support.
Unity is very good at caring for people who feel like their life is a bit of a rollercoaster. In fact, we have a whole team dedicated to meeting with people who are going through challenging times of life: The Stephen Ministry Team. This is a group of trained individuals who are there to listen and pray with people from the congregation who are going through a difficult time. I encourage you to meet with a Stephen Minister if your life is a rollercoaster. Call the church office, and they will set up an appointment for you. Your Stephen Minister will keep your problem confidential, will pray for you, and will meet with you weekly to listen, care, encourage, and support you.
This is what the church is here for.
Paul makes this clear in a number of his letters:
Galatians 6:2 tell us to “Bear one another’s burdens…”
Philippians 2:4 says “Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.”
We do not need to go through the challenges of life alone. We are here to bear each other’s burdens when they feel too heavy to carry alone. If you are in a stage of life that is challenging, may you feel empowered today to reach out to the church for the care and support that you need. We are in this together.
See you on Sunday!
-Pastor David
