Clarity

In the blog post Action, I mentioned Kris Judd’s invitation to Dwell in the Word. The following thoughts are offered as a further reflection on that process.

Dwelling in the Word is a practice all disciples can use in their personal spiritual formation. It is a way of exploring scriptural passages more deeply and reflecting on what those verses have to say to us. You can find guidance about using this spiritual tool by clicking here, and scrolling down to “Personal Spiritual Practices.” It is a method you may find very helpful.

For the month of June, those who have joined this journey with Kris have been reflecting on Doctrine and Covenants 163: 1-4. On a recent morning, as I read this page again, my attention was caught, not by the words or phrases in the document itself, but by a sentence in the preamble.

I place these words in the church’s hand, trusting that the Spirit will enable the faith community to hear the call of God today with increasing clarity.

Clarity! Isn’t that what each of us is searching for? Do you, like me, spend huge amounts of time searching for this elusive commodity? Whether walking, driving, working, resting, sleeping, praying, or reading, aren’t we always searching for greater clarity in our lives? Isn’t it a major desire of our hearts to have a clearer sense of our life’s purpose, or said another way, of God’s purpose in our lives? And here is that word, embedded in a document we have read over and over again.

The search for clarity is what calls us to greater depth in our personal spiritual practice. It is what moves us to want to Dwell in the Word, or listen to inspiring music, or mediate. or pray. Without it, we may always harbour doubts about whether our actions are in sync with our life’s true purpose.

But the phrase used by President Veazey is “increasing clarity.” Somehow that seems to sum it up just about perfectly. No matter how much clarity we attain, there is always more to be seen and understood. Our understanding is always partial and we May have just scratched the surface. We can always go deeper. Of course we will need to put the clarity we have achieved into action while we do that, but like scientist probing the mysteries of space, the quest is never fully achieved. There is always more to see.

May you be blessed with increasing clarity as you go about your journey with God today.

Posted by Carman

Pastor

For quite some time now I’ve been searching for a basic text book to give to our CPI pastors. I’ve considered several but none seems just right. I’ve looked at excellent books, most of them written for newly graduated seminarians who’ll be assuming the pastorship of traditional Protestant congregations. The assumptions are for those young folks; and they are mainly young, though more now there are “second career” pastors who’ve retired or rethought their careers. They offer advice about “accepting a call” to this or that congregation in the early chapters. And later advice speaks of how to establish spiritual practices, how to deal with family systems, how to administer the operation effectively, delegate appropriately and develop leadership within their congregations.

Most of what is discussed in these texts is absolutely and exactly what our pastors need, but I suspect they’d have a difficult time “reading around” the Protestant assumptions. They’d point out, and rightly, that our way of calling is different, that our understanding of a priesthood call is just not the same.

We do appreciate calls to priesthood office in our own particular way. And yet I also perceive a sense of a call to pastor that we don’t generally give proper respect. I feel so privileged to work with the CPI pastors past and present. I see in them a genuine sense of being called to pastor their people! If we have such a pastor we can consider ourselves twice-blessed.

Those of us who associate with pastors across the Mission often speak of this call. It isn’t exactly like the call to a priesthood office. It really does seem to be much more like the traditional Protestant calls than we as Community of Christ tend to give credit for. I have had lots of association with those Protestant pastors over the years too. They speak of the urgency of the voice of God they feel, some of them from childhood. Others, often those “second career” seminarians, in the midst of a life already planned and underway. And yet they hear a call they cannot deny. A call to pastor!

As our church and our Mission work harder to offer training, mentoring, discipling and support to our pastors (CPI being only one way) we note one of the by-products is this growing awareness that we have men and women who also feel this undeniable call to the office and role of pastor!

Just as we as members watch for potential deacons, elders, evangelists, etc and pray to receive spiritual confirmation of those calls, should they be forthcoming, I think we need to begin to watch for and to discern the call to pastor. I’m not suggesting we change the way we do things. I just think we can deepen our realization that God is calling in ways we may not have noticed before.

This is not to suggest we adopt a Protestant practice of fully-funding all our pastors. That’s not going to happen! In fact they are more and more adopting our bi-vocational model. It is to suggest we give deeper consideration to what it means to feel a call to pastor. And as a prophetic people to be part of this discernment. I’d like to read your reaction to this idea if you feel led to Comment.

Posted by Marion

Priesthood Calls

Last Sunday I had the responsibility and privilege of presenting four priesthood calls to the Faubert Drive congregation in Chatham; three Elders and one Deacon. This is actually the latest step in a process which began more than a year ago, and is still not quite complete. Let me begin at the beginning.

In early 2009, I visited this congregation and became aware that the Faubert Drive church had a very effective pastorate with one somewhat unusual feature; all three pastors were Priests. Further, it appeared that there was a shortage of Elders in the congregation, although clearly not a shortage of candidates for this office.

For the benefit of readers who may not be familiar with Community of Christ operating method, there is nothing at all wrong with having three Priests as pastors, but it is more common for pastors to be Elders. While it is fine for pastors to be Priests, there are benefits to the congregation to have Elders available. For example, if there are persons who are sick and request the sacrament of Laying on of Hands for healing, it takes an Elder to do that since a Priest does not have that authorization.

Normally it is the pastor’s responsibility to discern a call to priesthood, and to initiate the process which can bring the candidate to ordination, and that is the procedure that was followed with the young lady who will soon be ordained a Deacon. When the candidate is the pastor her/himself, however, that procedure does not apply. In such a case, it is the duty of the next administrative officer to prayerfully discern, process, and present that call. Such was the case in Faubert Drive, and so that task fell to me as mission president. Now, more than a year since that process began, the candidates have each made a decision to accept the call, taken the required training courses, and are ready for ordination at a time that will work for them, their families, and the congregation.

The ordination of these fine ministers will make the congregation stronger and equip these leaders for further ministry in their community. We celebrate their willingness to recognize the movement of God’s Spirit in their lives, and to faithfully respond. May their efforts always be blessed by the Presence of the Good Spirit, and may they always minister in the Spirit of Love and Peace.

Posted by Carman

Retreat

I am aware of two different kinds of retreat going on at this very minute in our area. I know this, because I received invitations to both. Both retreats have something going for them that I really, really appreciate. In fact, I wish they weren’t happening at the same time, thus forcing me to choose.

This happens a lot. At one time I remember we used to check the calendar and try NOT to book things in conflict. But that was a losing venture. So we just try to remind ourselves, and others, that having choices among more than one excellent event is a blessing.

Now, back to what I was going to say about retreating. As it happens, the two retreats now taking place are quite different. (One might say opposite if one were not careful; but I am anything if not careful, so I won’t say that.) One of them is a silent retreat, focusing on meditation, reflection and loving kindness. Participants will spend time together and in solitude. They’ll eat good food and rest in the peaceful surroundings of the Ziontario campgrounds. The other group of retirees (not seniors or geezers or fogeys, no matter what you’ve heard!) will spend time in community. They’ll eat good food and spend time in study, play, visiting and laughing together in the peaceful surroundings of the Noronto campgrounds.

Both are right on track with ancient definitions of spiritual retreat, whether in solitude or in community. Both focus on the noble goal of separating oneself from the usual environment and happenings of daily life to immerse in a safe and uplifting location or community. Outcomes may be reduced stress, increased creativity and sense of encouragement, well-being and health, physical, emotional, spiritual.

Retreat is a military term too. Perhaps some of the comments about military retreats might help us too. Great care must be taken to understand the purpose of a military retreat or withdrawal, lest it turn into a rout. Excellent military strategists and leaders use retreats to reposition troops or to take a stronger position. An apparent retreat may be “feigned” to throw an adversary off his game plan or to use this time of calm to regroup for a stronger attack.

I like to think in the language of metaphor to see what I can find or learn from considering the different perspectives. What do you think?

Please chat among yourselves. I’m away from my computer connections at a retreat. I’ll check in with you next week.

Posted by Marion

Calls

Last Friday in CEM, we released information about nine calls to senior priesthood ministry. That feels like and is a very significant development. It is even possible you might have heard about it or even read it in the bulletin at church last Sunday morning.

The announcement included calls for one Bishop, two Evangelists, and six High Priests. A list like that does not happen every day. I believe these calls will be a blessing to Community of Christ and to Canada East Mission for years to come.

Calls to Priesthood often seem shrouded in mystery and endowed with a sense of mystique. In a sense what is happening is a recognition by others that something important is happening in that person’s life and relationship with God. They have grown, and will continue to grow into a new area of ministry and service.

This understanding of calls to priesthood is not to deny the mystical element of searching out God’s call in a person’s life. That element is always present, and not just for priesthood. The quest for relationship with the Divine is so much a part of human experience that it is tempting to say, “That is what life is all about!” And perhaps it is.

We truly celebrate the lives of these nine outstanding ministers and their acceptance of the call of God in their lives. At the same time, I am mindful of the modern day scriptures that say, “All are called according to the gifts of God unto them.” (D. & C. 119:8b and 156:9b)

All are called.

All.

The Divine Presence reaches from within each of us and calls us to a closer relationship. For those of us who spend our lives seeking that closer walk, we can only respond, “Thank God!”

May you be blessed with awareness in your walk with the Divine Presence today.

Posted by Carman

Signs

There are just so many signs to pay attention to. As I began my long road trip this week I've been thinking about signs. Of course there are all those "Cars in this line" and "Merge right" and "Construction ahead." For fun there are also the "Heads Up Taxidermy" and "Hip new place for your orthopedic needs"!

Our blog started out the week thinking about Easter and Spring, new growth emerging after rain. Heading south directly into the path of the northward marching season I always enjoy noticing the signs of Spring, almost like a line visible on the face of creation. So there are the signs of spring; the flowering trees, the forsythia, the birds and the bunnies, the emerging green leaves! The grass gets longer and greener with every passing mile as the temperature rises.

Last week as our CPI pastors gathered with Apostle Mary, we considered the words of Isaiah: Behold I am about to do a new thing, do you not perceive it?

And we do perceive many signs in our lives and in our congregations of a new thing. People are sensing calls to get more involved. Ideas are materializing. Obstacles are being removed. Where we once thought there was none to do a task, we now have options. Volunteers are stepping up.

Some people have felt concern over how this World Conference would unfold. It promises to unfold in a way unlike any before it. The signs are everywhere. Preparing to respond to our call to be a prophetic people we expect to see signs. It's one of the requirements to be mindful, to pay attention, to hold a listening ear, an open mind. Watch for the signs.

Posted by Marion

Imagine

How’s your imagination? Can you picture something that isn’t? or at least that isn’t yet?

Much of the conversation that’s going on in various places is really asking us to do that. We keep getting asked to discern or to vision a new future. Have you heard something like that before?

Our Merrie Bande of Bishops is working hard to come up with a strategy for accomplishing the 2020 Vision Goals that we as a mission and YOU as congregation members are going to work on for the coming decade. One of the things they’ve noticed in their travels is the struggle some folks are having to figure out what it is they’re called to be and to do. It’s hard work finding just the right balance between “what we’ve always done” and “where we’re called to go” in some unknown future.

It calls for imagination! You might want to look around your congregation for the creative, imaginative types who can help with this task.

Remember that saying “honour our past while creating our future”? Turns out we’ve got lots of skill and practice with the “honour your past” part of that and not so much with the “create your future” bit. I’m thinking it’s something we’ll be working on along with the many things we’re working on as we forge into our discernment, dialogue, vision/mission, planning, strategy sessions.

Fear not! Make ready to be surprised! Expect to work hard. This might just be the place the generations meet. ( Check out this for an interesting discussion of our diverse generations.)

Locate your most energetic and creative generation X and Y and let the Baby Boomers provide the backup song. Now, all together, let’s sing a chorus of “Imagine!” That should help.