“So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above… Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” — Colossians 3:1–2
Welcome to Ordinary Time.
The name has always felt like a bit of an undersell. After Easter’s drama and Pentecost’s fire, calling this next season “ordinary” sounds like a polite way of saying, “Hang in there till fall.” Most Baptists don’t talk much about it. We tend to focus more on the bulletin than the worship calendar. But in traditions that follow the rhythm of the liturgical year, this is the long green stretch after Pentecost until Advent, often labeled Ordinary Time.
The term doesn’t mean “boring.” It comes from the Latin ordinalis, meaning “numbered” or “ordered.” These are the measured Sundays when discipleship unfolds in sustained ways. Growth still happens, even without the fanfare of Easter or the flame of Pentecost.
This June, Yates is stirring. We’ve celebrated Sonshine Sunday, blessed our graduates, and now we’re preparing for something entirely new: a summer music festival imagined by one of our own, rooted in the creativity and community that formed him.
The Garden Is Growing
On Saturday, June 7, the day before Pentecost, our church grounds will host the first Shedhouse Music Festival. It will be a full afternoon of music, food, and community. The idea came from Ryland Burgin, one of our Youth & Kids alumni now studying at Belmont University. Ryland imagined a space where music could bring people together and open doors.
He called his band, booked a lineup, and invited friends from across his network. Thanks to his vision, and Mackenzie’s steady leadership on food, planning, and logistics, we’ll soon enjoy an event unlike anything Yates has hosted before. What matters most is the mission. Proceeds from the festival help to ensure that every child and youth connected to our church can attend camps, retreats, and trips, regardless of their family’s financial situation.
When the church dreams together, the Holy Spirit begins to move. Over time, God’s life becomes more and more visible in us. That is what we’ll celebrate on Sunday, June 8. We’ll gather for Pentecost with the Lord’s Supper and welcome a representative from Gideons International. That afternoon, we’ll hold our quarterly church conference. I don’t name these events to overwhelm you. I name them because holy things often arrive dressed in familiar clothes. Make no mistake, these are extraordinary Sundays.
Don’t Miss What’s Growing
After weekends filled with music, Communion, and maybe a little holy chaos, what lingers is the welcome that stretches into the week ahead. Lately, we’ve seen new faces in worship. Some are passing through. Others have returned after time away. A few are quietly asking important questions. That’s always a holy sign that something in our gathered life feels like home.
Remember, hospitality is not a task for a few greeters. It is the patient work of the whole church. It happens in whispered prayers and well-placed bulletins, in hallway conversations and open seats. Sometimes it is as simple as looking up and smiling like it’s your pew, but not your property!
If you see someone new this month, take it as a Spirit-led nudge. Linger a little, listen a bit longer, and offer the kind of presence you’d hope for if you wandered in with questions of your own.
Planted Here, Growing Now
This summer, our worship series Planted Here invites us to reflect on what it means to grow right where God has placed us. Jesus often used garden imagery like seeds, pruning, and harvest because spiritual life isn’t mechanical. It is organic and demands care, patience, and trust. I believe God planted Yates in this particular place not because the land was convenient, but because the calling is real. This church is meant to flourish in a world that often chooses speed over depth.
In September, we will begin a churchwide experience of Experiencing God. More on that soon. For now, we are preparing the ground. We are loosening what has been compacted, clearing space, and trusting the Spirit to breathe life wherever we make room. If you are ready to serve, invite, give, or simply be present, there’s space for you here.
Ordinary Time is here. It asks more of us than we expect, so stay attentive, keep tending, and trust that grace still works in seen and unseen places. The Holy Spirit does not take a post-Pentecost sabbatical. You will hear the Spirit’s presence in laughter under Shedhouse trees, in the shuffle of bulletins, in preparing even when nothing dramatic happens and everything feels…ordinary.
This is not a timeout. This is the moment when the soil is turned, and the roots deepen for what comes next. So, if you’ve been raised with Christ, lift your eyes. Seek what is above.
Grace and peace,