Pastor’s Column

Wow!  There’s that word again, but Wow! I’m still high from the Institution. What a joy-full occasion that was. God grant this is only the (official) beginning of a richly graced shared ministry for us.
    In January we will be re-activating our neighborhood groups, and I will meet with each group in an attempt to get to know some of you a little better and to learn what you are thinking about St. Paul’s. Mostly I’ll ask questions and listen (and take notes). If there’s time, you’ll have a chance to ask me questions, and if not, we’ll do that another time. Please try to get to one of these neighborhood meetings. If you can’t make the one in your area, please call the church office and we’ll get you invited to another one.
    Shortly after the first of the year I will be starting a Bible Class. Initially, at least, it will be offered between the services on those Sundays on which we have two services, i.e., roughly 9:15 – 10:15 a.m. on Sundays other than the first Sunday of the month. For starters I suggest the following menu options:
Pastor Stories from 40 years in the ministry, including civil rights and peace activities (with pictures)
The Book of Acts (a long study, probably over a year)
(Kingdom) Parables (2 or 3 months, probably)
    Still basking in the afterglow of the Institution, it seems fitting to share the following item from Forum Letter (Volume 34 Issue 11 November 2005):
Lashed to the Mast
“Yet century after century Christians continue to take certain persons in their communities, set them apart, and say, ‘We want you to be responsible for saying and acting among us what we believe about God and kingdom and gospel…We need help in keeping our beliefs sharp and accurate and intact.  We don’t trust ourselves – our emotions seduce us into infidelities…We want you to help us: be our pastor, a minister of word and sacrament, in the middle of this world’s life…This isn’t the only task in the life of faith, but it is your task.  We will find someone else to do the other important and essential tasks.  This is yours: word and sacrament…We are going to ordain you to this ministry and we want your vow that you will stick to it.  This is not a temporary job assignment but a way of life that we need lived out in our community…there may be times when we come to you as a committee or delegation and demand that you tell us something else than what we are telling you now.   Promise right now that you won’t give into what we demand of you…with these vows of ordination we are lashing you fast to the mast of word and sacrament so that you will be unable to respond to the siren voices.’…that, or something very much like that, is what I understand the church to say to the people whom it ordains to be its pastors” –From Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity by Eugene Peterson (Eerdmans, 1987)

                         ~Pastor Don