We often use the phrase " full circle " when we speak of the completion of a task or the ending of an event. It?s one of the ways we mark the passages of time and the accomplishments of our living. We like to think of life and life?s experiences as having definite beginnings and endings. So, we say that " we have come full circle ". It?s a helpful phrase, but maybe not such a good one if we try to use it to describe our journey as disciples of Jesus. It?s hard to put your finger on the exact moment that your journey begins and even harder to determine where the end points of experiences are located in following Jesus. Take for example two events that coming up in the life of First Pres. This coming Sunday, we will participate with God in the baptism of Dawson Miskelly. It?s easy to think about this time as the beginning of Dawson?s journey. At the font of his baptism we will speak the words of belonging and beginning and take vows for him until he is able to take them for himself. And, all of that is true. However, Dawson?s baptism is also an end of things for him, too. Without his approval we are telling him that he belongs to God and owes his life to God. In his baptism, he is buried in Christ and raised with Christ to newness of life. Is that a beginning? Or an end? Full circle? Or just beginning? The following Sunday the youth who have been attending confirmation classes and working with their mentors will be making their public professions of faith and committing their lives to the work of the church. During that worship service, too, we will speak of beginnings and journeys to be taken. We will remind them that they are completing a phase of their life that began with their baptisms that they are now owning. Have they come full circle? Has one piece of life ended? And another started? Maybe the better language is to speak of the never ending activity of God in our life. Life is a constant. It isn?t a journey of decided stops and starts. We don?t check in every now and then and see which way we need to go and what we need to do. At the center of everything there is about us is God. And, we are never done with anything as we chase after God. Maybe discipleship is not so much about beginnings and endings as it is about the continual pursuit of God as God showed God?s self in Jesus. Maybe that?s why when Paul considered his pursuit of God he wrote, " I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. " Full circle? Maybe not. Maybe not ever. There?s always work to do and life to live in response to God. Paul called it pressing on. Let?s go to it! Grace and peace, Pastor Mark