I am now a Floridian and I feel welcome. I have met so many new friends and they have a way of making you feel like you have always been here. The new friends want to meet me, talk to me and share their life stories. Whether it is in the grocery store, church, under the viaducts of Parramore, or a table at Nikki’s, I have met some interesting people. I strongly believe in Henri Nouwen’s making space for the stranger. Linda and I are sojourning and strangers in a new land, we are also looking for a feeling of being wanted. In our ministry we usually find a “need” in a community, we work unyieldingly to achieve the goals and outcomes of the organizations. And after serving people all day we are happy that we have done God’s work of ministry on earth. Yet, what is most important to us is, are we connecting and are we beginning genuine relationships with real people?
We are connecting because we have found a parish in the Orlando community that is welcoming. Our work together is just starting; our journey will be long and fruitful. They are used to giving back, they are used to sacrificing, and they are willing to share what little God has given them. The parish is filled with hard working, caring individuals who are now waiting for the clarion call of God. We are listening together, as Moses saw the burning bush; we are looking at the world and wondering what God is up to. We are amazed at the possibilities.
Now is the time to pray for each other, pray that we foster relationships among each other. Tearing down the barriers of two services, different yet common cultures, hindrances in worship and questions answered about how we are going to welcome wanderers and strangers. We will soon have answers and even more questions. The answers will come in our Young Adult conversations over Starbucks coffee, Parish Town Hall in September, our Leadership Circle in October and our celebration of the Tabernacles/All Saints in November. The parish, together will flesh out the hard stuff and not shy away from the work that needs to be done. We will assess many operations and hopefully come to solution based ministry that is flexible enough to accommodate the rapid day to day changes in the community we serve.
Pray that the eyes of hearts are opened and we see one another with the eyes of our Lord; that we see Christ in each other and our community. Pray that we learn to love one another as God loves us and finally pray that in our common lives, prayers and worship God will be pleased. Keep it real. Love, Pastor.
We are connecting because we have found a parish in the Orlando community that is welcoming. Our work together is just starting; our journey will be long and fruitful. They are used to giving back, they are used to sacrificing, and they are willing to share what little God has given them. The parish is filled with hard working, caring individuals who are now waiting for the clarion call of God. We are listening together, as Moses saw the burning bush; we are looking at the world and wondering what God is up to. We are amazed at the possibilities.
Now is the time to pray for each other, pray that we foster relationships among each other. Tearing down the barriers of two services, different yet common cultures, hindrances in worship and questions answered about how we are going to welcome wanderers and strangers. We will soon have answers and even more questions. The answers will come in our Young Adult conversations over Starbucks coffee, Parish Town Hall in September, our Leadership Circle in October and our celebration of the Tabernacles/All Saints in November. The parish, together will flesh out the hard stuff and not shy away from the work that needs to be done. We will assess many operations and hopefully come to solution based ministry that is flexible enough to accommodate the rapid day to day changes in the community we serve.
Pray that the eyes of hearts are opened and we see one another with the eyes of our Lord; that we see Christ in each other and our community. Pray that we learn to love one another as God loves us and finally pray that in our common lives, prayers and worship God will be pleased. Keep it real. Love, Pastor.