Last
Thursday, I met with members of the Daughters of the King. In that meeting, we
talked about the importance of prayer at this juncture in the life of St.
Paul's. In their fifteenth year, the St. Catherine of Siena Chapter of the
Daughters of the King plan to re-commit themselves in prayer and service to
this parish at the September 10thHealing Eucharist (6 p.m. in the
Chapel).
At
this service, the Daughters will pray for those on the prayer list, they will
pray for the parish and for the community, and they will pray for the current
and future leadership at St. Paul's. This is a service that you are always
invited to attend (2nd Mondays at 6 p.m.) where you may offer
healing prayers for the parish and community. It is my hope and prayer for this
Healing Eucharistic to become a source of light and life for St. Paul's during
this time of transition.
As I reflect through my own prayers, I am filled with gratitude
for time spent at St. Paul's. When I look back on what I hope is a long and
fruitful ministry in the church, I will undoubtedly conclude that our four
years at St. Paul's Selma were some of the most rewarding and memorable. St.
Paul's is truly a light shining in the darkness and to be a part of that light
in this community was an incredible honor and privilege. I will always be proud
to say, "I served as the Rector of St. Paul's in Selma."
In
my prayers, I am also aware of the failures and disappointments. I am aware of
the things left undone. I am aware that I have let some of you down. I am aware
that there are some things I could have spent more time paying attention to.
However, I choose not to let these failures and disappointments lead me to
despair.
Using
the General Thanksgiving on page 836 in the prayer book, I give thanks
"for those disappointments and failures that lead [me] to acknowledge [my]
dependence on [God] alone." As Henri Nouwen once wrote, we cannot be truly
grateful unless we give thanks to God for all things - even the bad things. For
in the fullness of time, God brings all
things to their perfection
in Jesus Christ. In other words, let's get on with living life to its fullest
and trust that God is sorting it all out through the grace and mercy of Jesus
Christ.
Finally, I was filled with gratitude when I met with the Vestry
for the final time. In many ways, it was like a regular Vestry meeting. We
prayed for the church. We talked about upcoming events in the life of the
parish. We made decisions on behalf of the congregation. We approved the audit
report and reviewed the budget. The only thing we didn't talk about were the
light bulbs! It was almost like business as usual.
Most of the ministries and programs we offer to parish and
community will go on like they always have. There will be opportunities for the
laity to become even more involved in leadership. Some of what we have done
together will cease to continue but the work of the church will go on. God will
continue to use St. Paul's as a beacon of light to the people of Selma like God
has for the past 180 years.
During this time of transition, pray without ceasing. May God open
your eyes to see how you are being called to be that light in the darkness. May
your time in prayer help you re-focus and re-commit to the work God is calling
St. Paul's to be a part of in this community. May the grace of Christ in God
help you see failure and disappointment as the building blocks of faith. And
may you continue to grow in Christ and make him known; and through him, at all
times and in all places, may you give thanks to him in all things.
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