Last Sunday in my sermon I gave some homework – and a few folks have followed up with me either to share their thoughts or ask me for the assignment again! Part of what I shared in the sermon was a reflection on the Vestry retreat last weekend and our belief it’s time to begin the work of discerning our core values as a parish in order to cast a new vision statement. Our current vision and mission statements are a decade old, and while some work on identity and hopes for what comes next were a part of the search process for calling a new Rector, in conversation with leaders in the parish, it feels like now is a good time to turn our eyes toward the fullness of this work. To this end, in the next couple months the Vestry will be developing a charge and pulling together a Visioning Team to engage the parish over the next year+.
The homework is connected to this. Every month at our Vestry meeting we begin with 20-25 minutes of scripture reflection together. It is a time for us to ground ourselves in God’s word, but also a time for us to wonder about where the Spirit is moving in our community. It was with the upcoming vision work in the back of our minds that we reflected on last Sunday’s Gospel reading together (Matthew 17:1-9). This is a story of a mountaintop experience – coming close to something unknowable but that sparks transfiguration/transformation. It is also a moment of clarifying vision. Those with Jesus thought they knew the path he, and they were on – and then in a moment that literally had them falling down, they saw that things were changed. It is telling that Jesus’ response was to touch them and say, “Get up and do not be afraid.” It is a reminder that God is always with us. This is what we will need to remember as we discern our vision – God is our center – everything else will flow from there.
The questions I asked everyone to think about as homework, and in particular the last question, are the questions we wonder about together at Vestry. They are adapted from a children’s formation curriculum called Godly Play, and I love them because they are theological reflection at its simplest and yet most profound. I invite you into these questions not just with last week’s Gospel, but every week. I believe doing so will help provide a solid foundation for wherever our vision leads us.
I wonder what the most important part of the story was?
I wonder what your favorite part of the story was?
I wonder where you are in the story, or what part of the story was about you?
I wonder what this story has to say to the St. James’ community?
Yours in God’s peace,
Kristin+