This weekend marks twenty-five years of playing music with my bandmates in the Echelon band. Before I went to seminary, I was a musician and, even now, I still have occasion a few times each year to connect with these long-time friends to play for conventions and retreats.
This anniversary might not sound like a big deal to you, but a quarter of a century is a long time to stick it out with the same group of singers, songwriters, and instrumentalists. Musicians are notoriously temperamental, opinionated, creative types who fuss when they don’t get their own way. Life on the road and “artistic differences” often force individuals to go their own way. Somehow, the four of us have been able to remain grounded and creative together.
The Beatles, arguably one of the greatest bands of all time, only could endure each other for eight years. Nirvana, in their short seven years together, experienced some personnel changes. Rock super group, Blind Faith, made up of all-star musicians Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Ginger Baker, and Ric Grech, survived only one year, before egos tore it apart. Life in community is hard.
The name Echelon comes from the V formation which geese utilize when they migrate. As they fly, the flock drafts behind the front bird who creates an updraft for the other birds. When the lead bird gets tired, it rotates back in the flock and another takes the lead. Using this rotational model, these geese can fly seventy times further than if it were a single bird attempting to make the journey solo. It helps that the geese in the back offer their honks of encouragement as they soar. If a bird becomes sick or injured, a bird or two drops out of the formation and accompanies that bird, until it is well enough to travel again or dies.
What a metaphor for the community of Christ! Working together, we can accomplish so much more than if we try to do it all alone. We take turns leading and guiding. We pause to help those who are hurting and accompany others in moments of illness and death. Do the noises we make offer criticism or encouragement?
As Christians, we give thanks that Jesus took the wind on our behalf in his suffering and death, which now opens up the opportunities for forgiveness, reconciliation, and new life. We cling to the promises of God as the Spirit invites us to follow, wherever our journey leads.
This week, as we gather for our Ash Wednesday liturgy, some of the first words that we’ll hear will be the refrain of God’s loving migration promise from Joel 2:13:
“Return to the Lord, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.”
Return. Come back. Fly home. Follow me. God doesn’t send us off on a journey all alone, but leads us to a place of hope and renewal. Let’s stick together!
Looking forward,
Pastor Lowell