Dear People of St. James’,
This weekend, the St. James’ Vestry is going on retreat. Now, I could put the word “retreat” in quotes to call into question whether it’s truly descriptive of a weekend on Zoom, lacking in the usual hospitality spread, the roadtrip to some out-of-the-way destination to make space for shifting our focus, and the free time to catch up with others and our own selves. So, retreat?
Sometimes, when we use the word “retreat,” we think of an escape from the mundane whirring of our minds and habits of our lives into the strange and silent heart of things. To use a biblical metaphor, it is a turning aside from our daily pathways to gaze upon a mystery, the ordinary set aflame with God’s presence and yet not consumed. We gaze upon the mystery of a St. James’ community of ordinary people made extraordinary by the way God brings them together and pours out gifts to be shared. Like Moses, our job is to wonder at this marvel and to listen to the voice of the holy One that calls forth from the ordinary community, set ablaze with God’s presence. Even through Zoom.
Pray for us.
Over the last month, I have been having one-on-one conversations with all twelve of our current Vestry members and those who have just rolled off the Vestry about what is helping and what is hindering St. James’ in more fully realizing its mission: to embody Christ’s love by setting tables of welcome for all with spiritual nourishment to share with the world. These conversations have been deeply encouraging to me for a number of reasons: the commitment and creativity of your leadership, the many ways people are seeing the evidence of God’s spirit springing up to bring our community together even in the midst of pandemic, the awareness of our growing edges, and the willingness to guide the community in walking together through uncertain times.
Three aspirations emerged with great frequency in these conversations, well, actually four – but the fourth is part of the work of the Welcome Table Board. The three aspirations were:
- Being a multicultural congregation that maintains its African American identity and heritage;
- Preparing to regather strong;
- Connecting new members of all ages to community and ministry.
The fourth was developing a clearer roadmap to sustainable growth for Welcome Table, but that will be the focus for the Welcome Table Board Strategic Planning work. Don’t worry, though. We will keep you updated.
So, this weekend, we are going to closely examine these aspirations, I again would ask you to pray for us: for wisdom and honesty, for a dose of laughter, for generous compassion for each other and for ourselves, and for focus as our cats wander across our keyboards. As you pray, allow your mind to wander over these three aspirations. What would it look like for us to be fully living them out? What excites you most about the vision that question calls up in your mind? What about that vision has the power to get you on the road walking together and navigating the potholes with firm resolve?
As Bishop Curry reminds us, our prayer for the church is not a prayer the stability and infinite upward growth of an institution; nor is it a prayer that we might return to some pristine “Golden Age” that doubtfully ever was. It is this:
May it be so! Amen.
The Rev. Eileen O’Brien
