Sisters and Brothers in Christ

This is a time of reflection for me. I have been Rector at The Church of St. Mary the Virgin for five years now and we have shared much together. Rather than wax nostalgic let us consider where we are now and where we are going from this point.

How near are we to here, now? Conner Fay told me when I came here that St. Mary’s had a history of expansion and contraction. I have witnessed this systemic phenomena twice now. Maybe this is the result of what we really want and our dreams not quite meshing in reality. We can grow, we have grown, but do we really want to grow and become a larger parish? The periods of contraction seem to suggest that is not the case.

Years ago the rock group The Moody Blues produced the album Days of Future Past. Justin Hayward wrote a song, Nights in White Satin, which included this poem:

Cold hearted orb that rules the night

Removes the colors from our sight.

Red is grey and yellow white,

But we decide which is right.

And which is an illusion…

As we return this fall to the start-up of our programming there are illusions that I would like to see become realities but it will require commitment, maybe on your part. There is the illusion of youth groups. We need two youth groups functioning at our parish. At the very least they should meet on a monthly basis if not weekly—one for middle school and one for high school. That requires eight adults volunteering to be consistent and important parts of our teenagers lives.

"But we decide which is right…" In the Listening Canvass the congregation spoke loud and clear that Christian Education is right. To that end many people have worked hard to reform our Christian Education program. Now teachers will work on a quarter basis having weekly contact with the students in the class. Christian Education is more than learning Bible stories, it is children making genuine contact with adult lay people who really care about them. I applaud those teachers who have already volunteered to take our Christian Education program forward in this important direction. Again, commitment is called for to turn illusion into reality.

Christian Education flows beyond the years of youth! Nick Markoff is working to offer an Adult Christian Education video program on the Bible this fall. I will be offering a class on Sunday mornings titled, "Do the Right Thing: A Case Study Approach to Making Ethical Decisions," and we are looking for the right person to lead the Alpha program this fall (more information about each of these programs are in this month’s Bell).

The difference between illusion and reality is the level of commitment we are willing to make to see that our children and youth have adequate resources for their spiritual formation. The difference between illusion and reality is the level of commitment we are willing to put forward to further our own Christian formation by continuing our education in Scripture, Tradition, and Reason which provides the foundation for our community.

This cycle of expansion and contraction is distracting and it siphons off precious mental, spiritual, physical, and emotional energy. I propose that our focus instead be upon the programming we offer to children, youth, and adults at St. Mary’s. Are we ruled by a "cold hearted orb?" As Anglicans we are not. We are guided by Scripture, Tradition, and Reason. All gifts from the One who breathes into us life with each breath and has given us the ability to distinguish between illusion and what is right.

Joel t