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Rector's Blog
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Lent is a time for self-examination. This year, St. Timothy's is going to do that in a big way, and as a church. It is called a revisioning.
A lot of people are at St. Timothy's now who weren't here 5 years ago (including me!). So many people may be wondering: what is this revisioning?
Below are some faq's--and you have some yourself that are not answered, please write so that I can answer.
Some FAQ's about Revisioning
What is a "Revisioning"?
A Revisioning is an inspiring way to learn how we'll participate with God in mission in the coming years. Through revisioning, we'll discover our hopes and dreams for St. Timothy's in the years ahead, define common goals, and begin moving towards these.
Why are we doing this now?
Because Lent is a season for self-examination. It is a time to take on spiritual disciplines (commonly, we give something up and/or take something on as a sacrifice of ourselves for God). Our revisioning is a spiritual discipline through which we'll give of our time (an estimated 10 hours across Lent) and take on examining ourselves as a community. Second, many people are new to St. Timothy's since the last revisioning five years ago. It's important to the Rector and other leaders that all share in discerning where the Holy Spirit is calling us in the years ahead.
May I participate?
Yes. You have a valuable contribution to make to the future direction of St. Timothy's.
Why do this?
We would like to be good stewards of who we are and what we have. We desire to release our time, energy, and resources for the coming years into those places that God is calling us.
When is this? The revisioning time period will happen in several phases (small groups and large group plenary sessions) between Feb 25th and our final session, Sunday March 23rd.
How will this work?
1) From Feb 25th through March 6th, people will meet in small groups (covenant and ad-hoc groups which are designed for this revisioning).
2) Then you will have two choices: you can join either a Sunday plenary group (meeting for lunch and revisioning across 2 Sundays afternoons from 12-2:30: March 11th and 18th) or a Wednesday night plenary group (dinner starts at 5:45, ends at 6:30 with revisioning from 6:45-8:45 across 2 Wednesday evenings: March 7th, 14th).
3) Our final session will be a joint session/celebration with lunch on Sunday, March 25th from 12-2:30.
What are the times of the small groups?
Covenant groups will meet at their normal times through Feb 25th through March 6th, and ad hoc groups will meet according to schedules. A schedule of ad-hoc group opportunities is available this week in the word weekly.
What will this do for me?
You will make your church a better community for yourself and others. You will help discern the St. Timothy's that we want and where God is leading us over the next few years. Through participating you will offer your unique perspective on who we are and where we may being called to go. You will find satisfaction in creating with others the church that you desire St. Timothy's to be.
What will this do for St. Timothy's?
The past revisionings (in 1998 and 2002) have been very important milestones for St. Timothy's. Some things that came out of those revisionings were the Men's Retreat, more varied Bible study, a healing service, lay person sermons, classes on the book of common prayer, and adult education (parenting, Christian views of current events, and others). God speaks to us in many ways, and this process helps us to hear and understand His message for us.
What will we do?
The process starts in small groups (covenant groups and other ad hoc groups formed just for our revisioning) where we'll capture what each of us values, appreciates, and wishes for St. Timothy's. In our plenary groups, we'll discover all the wonderful ways that St. Tims is impacting our lives as well as our dreams for how God may be calling us forward. We'll define our dreams, and out of these will come clear ministry initiatives to implement as we move forward in the next few years.
What will the results be?
Personally, you will discover who St. Timothy's is and you will shape where we as a parish are going with God. Together, the result will be clear and concrete ministry initiatives that we share parish-wide and are working towards, as well other initiatives that will emerge for like-minded folks as they wish.
Please participate and build our community through Lent by taking on this personal discipline of participation. Thank you!"
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Friday, February 16, 2007
I believe the best days of St. Timothy's are ahead of us.
At the vestry retreat this past weekend, the vestry realized three key areas that we're all about--places where energy and life abound. The best days are ahead because in our revisioning in Lent, on these places we'll envision our future ministry and start to create that together.
The best days are ahead of us. After the vestry retreat, I went home and thanked God for the powerful witness of leadership gifts in our community, and for people's time. The revisioning ahead is a real sacrifice of people's time--no doubt about that. Over the course of Lent, each person will in effect be giving 10 hours to envisioning and creating the path for our ministry in the coming years. For people like ourselves, with many commitments and priorities, this is serious time.
Recently I learned that when this church was built, many men and women of the parish got together and formed the "Century Club": they committed 100 hours each to use their hands and skills and energy and build our parish's buildings. They translated wishes and blueprints into reality.
This challenge that we have before us to commit 10 hours to St. Timothy's as a Lenten Discipline builds on their commitment. 10 hours to use our hands, our experiences, skills, and energy to build the path for our ministry for the coming years. Together, we'll translate our wishes and blueprints into action. And we'll go from the strengths we have now into new ones along the way. Please join me for "Going from Strength to Strength: A Time for Action" in Lent, our ministry revisioning (coming to a church near you!). I am excited about what we're about to do. I believe the best days of St. Timothy's are ahead of us, and await our discovery.
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Thursday, February 08, 2007
Waiting is hard! At least for people like me who do not have a gift of patience. I'm waiting... St. Timothy's has started a conversation with itself and God. At the annual meeting we talked about where we've come so far... It was great to see people's milestones of life on the timeline we created. It spoke volumes about who we are, and who St. Timothy's is so far. But now I'm waiting...
Waiting for our Vestry retreat this weekend to discern the places that we'll especially pay attention to in our revisioning...
Waiting for Lent and the kick-off of a highly participatory revisioning of ministry that will be church-wide: "Going from Strength to Strength: A Time for Action".
Waiting to put the finishes touches on the process we'll go through together, and to do training...
I am thankful for many people--Vestry, Dream Team, and staff--who are working away to make our revisioning powerful and an opportunity for true discernment. The anticipation is building. I will be excited to start. But right now, the approach and ascent, and the waiting. Have you ever heard of the ninth of day of creation: And God said, "Let there be instant gratification. And so it was..."? I can't find that in Genesis...
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