Vocation v. Vacation

This being the Thursday before Labor Day, many people are making preparations to celebrate a day dedicated to honoring work by, well, not working. I talk to a lot of folks who have jobs, who work, but who only see their work as a means to get what they "really want."

An article on MSN yesterday morning piqued my interest. It pointed out that in the early 70s fully half of all college students majored in the liberal arts (you can view that article here). I did so myself in the early 80s, but by then I was already clearly in the minority. These days, more than 60% of college students are majoring in business or technical fields. Economics, of course, drives that trend. As the cost of a university education rises, so must the income of graduating students who have to pay for it.

In the midst of all this worry about work, however, we may have lost the whole idea of vocation. "Vocation" is a word that, supposedly, comes from the Middle English word "vocacious" which implies a religious calling. I would define vocation in broader terms, thinking of it as not just a job or function, but as the greater purpose of one’s life. Lots of people are looking for the perfect job…but what about pursuing a vocation, a calling?

This Sunday, I hope you’ll take a break from your Labor Day vacation and come to worship at Park City Community Church as we talk together for a bit about vocation. This being the first Sunday of the month we’ll also share communion together in both services. If you’re away from the Park City area, I’d invite you to download the audio of Sunday’s sermon early next week from our web site. I’ll also be posting the text here Sunday afternoon.

As you head out to work today, may God give you a fresh vision for vocation!

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