RALLY Season
For some years, many churches have used the language of “Rally Sunday” to describe the return to Sunday School. We refer to it here as our Sunday School Kick-off, which is this coming weekend. Whether or not we use the word “rally,” that word describes the spirit of this time. We’re coming back together, getting started again, settling in, moving forward.
This term has military resonance. Troops rally, after a defeat, or in coming back together after they’ve been dispersed. It’s also a health term. Someone who recovers physically, or in spirit—especially unexpectedly—might be described as having “rallied.” Today we hear “rally” and many of us think of standing with others, signs in hand, for the protest of the hour.
I looked up the etymology of this word “rally” and it’s interesting. It’s from an Old French verb ralier, “reassemble,” or “unite again.” Which is itself formed from the prefix re- (meaning “again”) and alier (meaning “to join” or “ally”).
I like that. To rally is to re-ally. To get together again not just physically but as allies, as people trying to do something together. When the Bible uses this term, God joins the effort. You can see this when Nehemiah says, “Rally to us wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet. Our God will fight for us.” (Neh 4.20.)
Looking at what’s before us at Collegiate/Wesley, there’s a lot of rallying going on in this season. We’ll rally this weekend for Sunday School, and on Wednesday evening for supper and for programming for our kids and youth. Our music groups are rallying with their first fall practices already, or soon. We’re rallying as a church as we think about next steps with our properties, with the Congregational Lunch meeting and other presentations you’ll read about in this week’s email. We’re planning an OpportunityFest on September 28 when we’ll be helping you connect (re-ally) with ways of learning and serving that you haven’t considered yet.
Even our next worship series that starts Sunday has an element of rallying. If we can rally in terms of health or good spirits, could we dare to believe that God wants us to rally as we become more fully who God has created us to be? There’s health and wholeness involved in letting go of what doesn’t fit us, and expanding into the shape and purpose that does. We’ll be talking about that in this season.
I can’t help hearing Les Mis, echoing.
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes.
c. Claude Michel Schonberg, Do You Hear the People Sing? lyrics, © Alain Boublil Music Ltd., Chester Music, Productions Bagad, Boublil Alain Editions Musicales Sart.
