“Discernment,” have you ever heard that word? Used it? It’s a pretty interesting word for church people. Let me explain. It is part of the decision-making process, but it’s more than that. Discernment is about being open, curious and attuned to what God is up to — with you and with your community. And it’s being confident that you have a part to play in the story of God’s love for the world. Years ago, I thought about becoming a pastor. I reflected on what I was good at, what the community of the church needed, wondered if my gifts fit the needs presented. I discerned that becoming a pastor was part of my journey. Discernment is about always being ready to ask the questions — and then being engaged in living the answers.
Our world is changing. Physically our world is evolving. Climate change is real, the ever-present traffic on 202 means Yorktown is welcoming more people into its schools, restaurants and maybe churches. Politicians are presenting fact as fiction and fiction as fact. No one is getting any younger, the world is changing. Always has always will.
We need to join together in a time of prayer, reflection and study to better gain an understanding of what God is doing. What is God up to in St. Andrew’s, Yorktown and beyond? What’s God doing in my heart? During Lent we are going to focus on these questions. We will wonder together where is God leading us? To do so we will read a book and ask each other some questions and really listen to each other. This is a necessary and healthy part of our spirituality. We will use Joan Grey’s recent book “Sailboat Church.” Gray recognizes the problems of doing Church man’s way and rightfully proposes the need to set aside human wisdom in favor of God’s. This is not easy because many churches are already deemed to be entrenched in a “rowing” mentality through the years, the book compares sailboats to rowboats. Doing God’s work must be done in God’s way. The tendency for humans to take upon human wisdom to do Church work is why people get burned out so easily.
Let’s discern where God’s wind is blowing and raise the sails. Let’s work together with God rather than row ourselves to where we think the church should go. Will you join me for 40 days of prayer, 40 days of wondering together where we think God is calling our church and 40 days of listening to each other and to our Lord. Let’s do it friends, God is always calling disciples to grow, to share, to love, put down the oars and let the Spirit of God do what only the Spirit can!
Blessings Pastor Dave
