Change

As Buffalo Valley Church of the Brethren celebrates 150 years in its current location, I am going to look at a few key words to help describe how the church has maintained its effectiveness throughout the past 150 years.

A man or woman who was part of the Buffalo Church of the Brethren in 1864 would hardly recognize the people or the place were he or she to worship with us today.   The style of dress has drastically changed.  The music has drastically changed.  The facility has drastically changed.  The most constant aspect of our Brethren worship, the Love Feast, has even changed.  But is change a bad thing?  No.  In fact, no church will have a 150^th anniversary celebration without change.  Change is inevitable and change is good.  Lots of things have changed at Buffalo Valley Church of the Brethren.

But not everything has changed.  What has not changed is a commitment to the truth of the word of God.  Yes, some of the interpretations and applications of the word of God have changed..but there has still been a commitment to a faithful interpretation of the word of God.  Some things have been applied differently; or have no longer been seen as important; but these are not core doctrines of the faith.  You see, change is good and necessary but a church still needs an anchor…a solid, unmoving source of truth.  For Buffalo Valley, that is the word of God.

As we move forward into 2015 and beyond, rest assured that though other changes will come, a commitment to the word of God will remain unchanged.