Joyeux Noel

As we approach this Christmastide and a work hiatus for a little over a week, I completed my 'expense reimbursement' for the months of October, November and December. During those three months, I drove over 3000 miles to meet with search committees, diocesan committees, and parish leaders. It is always a surprise to realize just how much 'road time' is spent -- because the time with colleagues in ministry always makes the travel time seem insignificant.

We now look forward to a new year, full of concern and wonder regarding the capacity of our congregations to have the financial resources to sustain ministry as it has been known to them. We need to keep the Star of Bethlehem before us. It is the call of the star to the travellers from the East that invited them, and continues to invite us, to seek God incarnate. We have been given many treasures -- the people who serve in the name of God, the treasury of our churches, and facilities to support ministry. May we have the wonder of the Wise Men to seek transformation and find new meaning in our ministries.

A time of Waiting & Preparation

Transitions in congregations are often frustrating because there is so much time spent in waiting --waiting for the Parish Profile to be written, waiting for people to respond to the invitation to consider a new Call, waiting for names, waiting, waiting, waiting. Yet, as in the season of Advent, this waiting is not to be taken lightly. It is in fact a very active time, when things are moving in the nature of the transition process, and God is actively working in the lives of those who are engaged in waiting.
This week has been almost consumed by Transition Ministry work: a two-day meeting with Transition Ministry colleagues of Province V in Milwaukee, talking with laity involved in the calling process of a new rector, interim clergy, and clergy considering making a change in their ministry. Much of the conversation has been about the process and how to engage it in ways that will result in a positive experience for the clergy and people together.
And then there is the preparation for the Living Stones Partnership gathering in February. As the deadline is upon us for producing the Baptismal Ministry Experience & Reflection document to be shared with partners, I find myself attempting to explain in 4 pages the ministries offered through those in our diocese (both paid and volunteer) who serve as ministry developers in Western Michigan.
May God give us the insight to wait and prepare for God's presence in our lives.

Advent Season begins

The First Friday of Advent is the cusp of a slightly hectic time. These past two weeks have been filled with holiday celebrations (Thanksgiving & travel) and interesting professional opportunities (time & travel).
A team of volunteers and staff have been working with one of our congregations to help align the administration of the parish with the business practices of the Church, in order to be clear about available resources for the mission they have to their community.
As a reflection, we have several congregations whose financial resources are not clearly articulated, and when clergy transition comes to the parish, it is important to be completely transparent to the congregation, and to the Diocesan Staff, to assure that resources are available for ministry and mission.
Also these past two weeks, the Reflection paper required for our Living Stones Partnership gathering in February needs to be completed, and I am continuing to receive feedback from the Congregational Development Commission and others regarding its content.
On a professional level -- I have been asked to facilitate the Board of Trustees retreat for Seabury-Western Seminary in February. To that end, I write this from Memphis, where I participated with others from Seabury in a conversation yesterday about the future of Theological Education and the age of Emergence.
I would commend to you a book by Phyllis Tickle "The Great Emergence." It is a helpful articulation of the church in our times.