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Tonganoxie Pastor’s Corner: Learning to navigate living space between constancy, change

By Jeff Clinger - | Sep 11, 2014

Shawn Linenberger

Tonganoxie United Methodist Church's Jeff Clinger.

There is a pedestrian bridge in Lincoln, Neb., that runs from the newly built Pinnacle Bank Arena to Haymarket Park. The bridge’s construction includes 14 different 12-foot-high letters that spell the city’s name on each side of the bridge. As one walks across the bridge they can read a series of thought-provoking quotations attributed to famous Nebraskans. Each starts with one of the letters in the city’s name.

During a trip to Lincoln this summer I found myself standing on the middle of the bridge between the two C’s and their striking quotations:

• Constancy: “You can tell by looking at me that I’ve got more miles behind me than I’ve got in front of me. When you reach that point, if you’ve got some good years left, you want to make sure you use them wisely.” — Tom Osborne

• Change: “The law must be stable, but it must not stand still.” — Roscoe Pound.

As I stood there, in that space between Constancy and Change, I looked to the east and saw Memorial Stadium, home to University of Nebraska football, a program steeped in tradition and history. As I turned and faced west I saw Pinnacle Bank Arena, a new, state-of-the-art facility, home of NU basketball and host to music and stage productions. Standing between Constancy and Change I could see history and tradition and the great value found in those noble characteristics. I could also see newness and innovation and the great value found in those noble characteristics.

As I stood there, in that space between Constancy and Change, I thought of my own life. History and tradition are incredibly important in defining who I am. Growth and innovation are imperative to becoming who I might be.

In that space between Constancy and Change, I also thought about Tonganoxie. We are a community with a rich sense of history and tradition. At the same time, we are a community with great potential for newness and innovation. As such we are living in a time of tension between Constancy and Change.

At the start of this new school year I am praying that we who live in this space between Constancy and Change might wisely and prayerfully discern how to navigate that space so as to become the people and the community God is calling us to be.

— Clinger is pastor at Tonganoxie United Methodist Church, 328 E. Fourth St. in Tonganoxie. For more about the church, go to tonganoxieumc.org or call 913-845-2814.