Musings from the Desert - October 14

I’ve been reading Behold, I do a New Thing by Kirk Hadaway. This statistician has written a book for our time. The subtitle of the book is Transforming Communities of Faith. It has been my observation over 20+ years, of work in the Episcopal Church and with Ecumenical partners, that many congregations have become confused as to their reason for being. And it is totally understandable. Those whose formative years were in the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s have relished stable places in their lives – and the congregations in which they find themselves often provide a stable environment. For many of the “greatest generation” (as Tom Brokaw calls them) change is not necessarily a good thing; it can bring violence, pain, and sorrow. For those whose formative years have been since the 1960’s, however, change is part of life, and is an exciting part of life.

As we discover the leadership in our congregations shifting from one generational prominence to another, we have a golden opportunity to revisit the question of Hadaway: In what business is the church? He reminds us that the church is about transformation, and that if we are not engaging in this difficult to measure characteristic, then perhaps we are no more than a social club or a gathering of folks who do good works. Transformation is about becoming more than who we believe ourselves to be…it is about going deeper with God, and finding resources that inspire and encourage us to act in ways that surprise us.

Perhaps the reason I feel called to be in ministry in the church at this time and in this place is because I, too, feel the need for transformation. This is a part of my journey with Christ, and being on that journey with others is exciting for me.