Taking the time
Somewhere along the way, I wound up on the mailing list for the national organization of the Episcopal Church. This morning, my inbox included a lengthier email that summarized some highlights of a recent meeting of their Executive Council. The Church has a new presiding bishop (installed November 2, the same day as our UMC bishop in New England), and recent emails have already announced several national staffing changes. Their Executive Council had the experience of convening on the Thursday after the election. What a whirlwind of events in just a week’s time.
I am not an insider to the Episcopal Church, but the meeting summary they generously provided sounded quite similar to many a UMC meeting I’ve attended. It lays bare the struggles of trying to be a diverse and inclusive church amidst a divisive and charged time. They—not unlike the UMC—are a church with racially and culturally diverse leadership, but with a largely white membership in the pews. It’s worth skimming through at least the first half of the meeting summary to see how these struggles play out in real time, even among the highest levels of leadership, even when there’s a shared and articulated goal of witnessing to the Gospel.
One point of note is that it is a largely white cultural value to be able to move through or past difficulties relatively quickly. Several people of color attending the Executive Council meeting expressed hurt at implicit and explicit suggestions that marginalized people, once again, “get over themselves, that their feelings were less important than getting done the work prioritized by white people.” I have been guilty of harboring similar feelings at church meetings, unduly concerned for unaddressed agenda items when there were more important—and less comfortable—discussions to be had.
This tendency is extremely important to note in cross-cultural and cross-racial settings. It’s also worth sitting with as we process our own reactions, whether to this election, or to any difficulty in our own lives. It is ok if, when someone we love has died, we aren’t ready to “move on” or keep busy with a laundry list of tasks. If we are watching a child or loved one struggle, it is ok to find support for our own grief, instead of constantly focusing on “solutions” for the other party. Taking this time on the sooner may be beneficial for everyone in the long run.
This Sunday, we’ll conclude our stewardship campaign in our celebratory Consecration Sunday. (A potluck breakfast begins at 8:30 am with worship to follow at 10.) The theme guiding us as we prepare to make our financial commitments is “Make Love Your Aim.” While this initial worship series is concluding, this theme will continue to guide the work of Church Council and our ministries throughout the coming year.
The thing about making love our aim is that it governs both the ends and the means of our life together. When love is our aim, things like productivity and efficiency may need to slide further down the priority list. We may need more time to discern faithful action than to hatch a plan. We may need more time together “just because,” than we need to gather around an agenda.
As we prepare for our annual shift in ministry teams (January), I invite each ministry to make a little (more) room for prayers and check-ins. This will help us to build the base of love and trust needed for faithful service. It may feel awkward or uncomfortable at first, and it may mean it takes us a little longer to get some things done. But it will also be good practice for centering love and seeing Christ in each person we meet, both within and beyond our community. I have every confidence that taking this time will be more than worth it.
With peace,
Pastor Jen
