Weekly Reflection, Sunday, June 3, 2018
By: Bob Hetherington, Priest Associate
The program year is winding down. Soon we will be deep in summer. The ever-changing rhythm of our lives continues. Summer is a time to change the pace. This gives us an opportunity to take stock of things. We have a chance to look back as we begin the process of planning the next chapter.
Over the past two years St. Mary’s has gone through a lot of change. Now we eagerly await the arrival of our new Rector, the Rev. David May. The Rector Search Committee has worked very hard to find David. He has a unique blend of faith, skills, experience, background, style, sense of humor, and a host of other attributes which should help St. Mary’s move forward in the best way. Thanks to good past leadership there is a remarkable sense of unity to the whole ministry. David will also inherit a staff that has done remarkable work during this interim period. This has kept the St. Mary’s ministry from hardly missing a beat. This is an exciting moment in the life of this parish.
Youth Sunday and confirmation Sunday showed how St. Mary’s is positioned for the future. We are very intentional about our ministry to youth and young families. The staff and Vestry work in a deeply collaborating way. Every aspect of this ministry affects every other aspect of ministry. We cannot have a strong ministry to our young families unless we put strong emphasis on pastoral care.
The key to strong parish life is our sense of mission: God calls us to serve the needs of others. The process begins by building a strong sense of Christian community. As we deepen our connection with each other through worship, prayer, and spiritual practice we are reminded how important it is to lean into life. There is a lot which can be done in this world. The world has many needs. Where does God want St. Mary’s to put its focus? Transforming the world for God takes a lot of discernment – and then it takes a lot of hard work.
God has richly blessed the ministry of St. Mary’s in the past. Now as we journey into a new future, may God show us the way forward.