Deafness to call to serve

As I attended Ash Wednesday services this year, I was struck by the words of the Litany of Penitence (BCP p. 267-9). I have spoken these words each year for far too many years for me to count, yet this year I noticed the words more than I ever had before. At that moment, I made a promise to myself to continue to reflect on the words throughout the next 40 days of Lent, and beyond.

I don’t know how well I have done in that regard—honestly, I would guess that I have failed. I guess there is never enough prayerful thinking on those very words. More importantly, I cannot ever stop putting into action the heart and intention of the words that I spoke as I confessed to God for my failures and asked for God to accept my repentance. 

Today, however, I reflect particularly on two portions of the Litany:

“We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us.

We have not been true to the mind of Christ. We have grieved

your Holy Spirit.”

Have mercy on us, Lord.”  

and

“Accomplish in us the work of your salvation,

That we may show forth your glory in the world.”

As a ministry developer, I am called to model service to God and Christ and assist others in doing the same. Listening to that call and helping others to do the same is hard but rewarding work.

We all know that we are called to serve God and Christ, but it is not always easy to know what that call may be, where it might lead, or how it might unfold. We may not even recognize our own gifts. We have to rely on God’s mercy to assist us in that endeavor. We have to rely on prayerful seeking of God’s guidance and mercy in looking past the times when we said “not now” or “you have to be kidding!” instead of saying “yes, send me.” We have to rely on faith to keep on the right path and trust in God that we are doing God’s work, and are doing this work in accordance with God’s commands, on account of our faith in God and Christ.

But as a ministry developer, it goes much deeper and broader than this. We not only have to give up control so that God can “[a]ccomplish in us the work of [God’s] salvation” but also encourage others to do the same. That seems a daunting task. An impossible one.

As I reflect on those words, I realize that it is just the same all over again. It is a matter of my letting go of control and allowing God to lead me, use me, guide me in accomplishing God’s work so that I and others with whom I minister “may show forth [God’s] glory in the world.”

Hmmm. I think I will take advantage of the excuse of Lent and its cocoon-like environs to pray on this more heartily and listen to God more intently to guide me as we journey through Lent and approach the celebration of our risen Lord. 

Will you join me?

Theresa

Ministry developer "hats"

I refer to myself as a ministry developer. It seems to be common lingo among those “in the industry” of connecting ministry resources and ministry needs, within the framework of engaging people to live into their baptismal covenant to do God’s work, with God’s help. But it also seems to be a misnomer in many respects; I am not developing ministries but instead am companioning and teaching people to be better ministers of God and Christ.

The fact that I wear so many “hats” in that regard sometimes astounds me. When am I a teacher, as opposed to a shepherd, or a companion, or an encourager, or even a safety net as I coax others to take some risks and even “try on” something new? The tasks and roles bleed into the next, but not in the sense of a bowl of cake batter but more like a rainbow of roles. Each role is distinct and yet it isn’t at the same time.

Ministry development is much like the rainbow’s arc of colors, where the red blends to become orange, the orange becomes yellow, etc. There is no clear point where one color becomes the next and no longer is the same. Much like a rainbow, ministry development also can be most beautiful to behold, as one sees the results of people taking on new or expanded ministries or even just feeling more confident in their own ministries.

Much like a rainbow, the task of ministry developer also is difficult to “capture,” whether figuratively or literally. Just as we cannot reach the point of the rainbow or find the legendary pot of gold at either end, the roles and tasks of a ministry developer just keep expanding out of reach. We cannot fully describe the roles to others, and there is no one definition that is true for all ministry developers.

Similarly, there is no end to the ministries that can develop or the persons who may be guided to live into their callings as ministers. There always is room for growth, learning, and new experiences. Thus, unlike a rainbow, there really are pots of gold to behold and they appear along the way as we journey together toward the rainbow. The pots of gold just keep appearing, often when least expected. Much work is invested by the people involved (as well as the ministry developer), and the pay off may be small or large.

We may find the pot of gold where it is least expected. It may just appear when one feels the most defeated in the work, but it will appear and appear again, and perhaps appear once again, twofold and then threefold.

The most difficult part is patience, I guess. My own and that of others. Yes. Perhaps that is what a ministry developer really is—someone who helps instill patience and continued energy into God’s ministers and ministries, and does not abandon them along the way. I am much like a parent guiding a young child on a bicycle with training wheels. One day, the minister is balancing all on his or her own and does not even notice that I no longer am holding on but standing behind, smiling one giant grin.

Now that is ministry development!

Theresa