Hello world,
It has been awhile since I have written. There are a plethora of excuses that I could use to explain why I have not been writing. However I shall attempt to not bore you with those. For you are taking your valuable time to come here and read these words. Why? Well that is a mystery to me, but hopefully not to you. So now to start processing some of what is on my mind. Please feel free to respond and contribute is you so desire.
First, I thought I would go back and see when it was that I last wrote a post posted here, (as I sometimes write a post and then not post it… ). So I apologize for any repeating… and also for the length of time it has been since I last wrote words which you could read, which I am fairly certain was sometime last year.
Life has been going, at times it has been a struggle. I find myself partially employed. Yes I said partially employed. I like that term better than employed part-time, or under-employed or… Perhaps in part as it reflects the possibility that I work outside of employment, ie volunteering. Which is in act true, thought not to the extent that I would like. I think it also relates to the great change that can happen from week to week in the amount of paid work I receive.
I find myself at times struggling to find work, to find gainful employment that is meaningful to me and to others. This struggle leads to times when I don’t put as much energy toward the search as I should due to feelings of being burnt out. I also wish to be more active within the faith community, and within society as a whole, though I struggle to find the places where I can serve and utilize my gifts the most. I also get frustrated as I hear excitement of my willingness to serve, and then when the new peaching schedule comes out for visiting ministers, I find my name no where on it, nor on the list of people congregations can call… I find myself wanting to lead workshops of prayer and liturgy, but find myself uncertain about how to go about getting those ideas going… I would love to do something along the lines of “language for worship” or “Seeking inclusive worship” or “Let us pray together as one” or… okay so coming up with names for it may not be my greatest strengths but it is part of what I feel I can offer. I also need to get back into preaching. It is part of who I am, and it has been a dry spell for me for a bit. My next sermon is currently scheduled for the last Sunday of March.
In other news I have applied to chaplain residency programs. A couple weeks ago I had an interview for one and I think it went well. It’ll be a bit of time before I find out if I am accepted, but I hope I will be. It would be a wonderful opportunity for growth and for sharing the gifts I have in ways I feel called to share them.
I also am hoping that I will be able to find ways to become engage the ecumenical and interfaith community in this area. I know that for me the ecumenical and interfaith activities I participate in are of then where I grow the most, and am able to feel most clearly “Community of Christ.” Perhaps it is in these settings that I can see how we as the (in the words of a friend of mine named Bob) “’pancreas’ of the body of Christ” can see that are the pancreas, and how we are important and work with all those other organs and parts that make up the body of Christ, and the body of all faith communities. It is in those times that I can gain inspiration of how to share in and with the rest of the pancreas was to be the best pancreas we can possibly be, and live out our calling to the fullest. One step I might take is giving up half my hours of paid work next week in order to spend time with the ecumenical and interfaith officer of my denomination, along with others who find this aspect of the church and of life to be of interest and part of their calling.
Also of late I have been thinking a lot about injustice. Not just the major injustices that we tend to focus our attention and time talking about. But also the quite injustices. The injustices that are the result of enforcing or not enforcing policies. The injustices that directly impact only one or two people at the time and then are repeated to a few others, and then again… and nothing is done to prevent it from happening again and again…
I am also praying, reflecting, seeking… a lot lately regarding the issue of my ministerial calling. It is a great pain as I know without a doubt my calling has changed. I know without a doubt the Holy is calling me to a different ministerial work than that which I am ordained to. Yet, I find myself getting pounded into the wrong shape hole, the hole of the office I am ordained to but no longer called to, by some in the local congregations by those who knew me when I was called to the office of deacon. It makes church life frustrating at times. And yet… I also find some calling me out. The most surprising being my Uncle who recently called upon me to help with the Memorial Service Celebration of Life and Resurrection of one of our cousins. It was an interesting experience, and it was my first time in a non class situation serving in such capacity. In preparing for the service I came to greater understanding of my family as we visited, greater understanding not just of those that were mentioned in conversation, but of my immediate family and our relationships. I think some of this would have come to my understanding even if the one passed was of no relation to me. Also surprising, was two or three times in around the service I hear my Uncle share with others, how much I reminded him of his dad, my grandpa whose name I proudly carry. I’ve heard others at times make mention, but to hear it from him was a bit surprising, at least to me.
Well I need to get some rest as I think I might try and hit the trails in the morning.
(Oh and this is the first long piece of writing I have done since getting my new keyboard yesterday, my old one died, still getting use to it, but hopefully I caught most of the missed keys… and yes it seems I am still a three finger typist for the most part.)
Peace be with you.
— Lyle II