Christ is in our midst!
In the last few weeks I’ve had the opportunity to get to know many of you, learning your sacred stories, and hearing about what captivates your vision for the future of this congregation. I hope to get to know as many of you as I can while I’m here. If I blank on your name, I appreciate your patience!
One of the images that I’ve been meditating on for this season is a nautical one—it’s appropriate, considering that a ship was one of the oldest metaphors used by the Church to describe itself. When one is steering a ship by night, one has only the stars to work with. It’s the steersman’s job to understand, with the navigator’s help, where the stars are, when and where they rise, and when they’ve risen too far from the horizon to give a true heading. (Ask me about the oblique ascension of the celestial sphere sometime if you want the full scoop!)
When the next star is coming up over the horizon, the steersman adjusts the heading of the ship to keep it on course. But sometimes turning the boat towards the chosen star isn’t as simple as adjusting the rudder, though. If the winds are strong, the whole crew might be needed to pitch in to get the boat headed in the right direction.
My main goal for these few months is to know which stars have been chosen to direct our course and to keep the boat pointed in that direction as best I can. But that’s something that I can only do in partnership with every one of you. As I’ve listened to your stories and have participated in team and board meetings over the last month, I’ve learned quite a bit more about the constellations that we’re following on our voyage to become one beloved community in spirit, in mission, and in motion through the world.
We’ve got our work cut out for us, though. We’re sailing through the blustering gales of systemic changes to the way society engages with religion. Our ship is making its way across white-capped seas tormented by racism, hatred, fear, and greed. This voyage isn’t an easy one. It’s an all-hands-on-deck time in the life of the church.
The good news is that the sky is clear. I see the stars rising over the east, stars of passionate worship, unbounded hospitality, commitment to becoming a healed and healing force within the world. You see them too, don’t you?
The better news is that this crew knows what it’s doing. I have already been blown away by this crew’s ingenuity, flexibility, and willingness to devise and implement creative solutions to unforeseen challenges. You consistently surprise me by your ability to be the Church in the best ways. It’s truly a privilege to be part of this.
So, thank you. Thank you for letting me help you keep your heading true.
Pr Nate
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