Download Epiphany 2 2017 - St. David`s, Glenview

Rector’s 2016 Annual Report and Sermon
Epiphany 2, Year A; January 15, 2017
Full disclosure: I’ve never combined an annual report with a sermon before. But I’ve also
never been presented before with this particular gospel passage on the Sunday of the Annual
Meeting –John’s account of Jesus calling his disciples. It’s a very different “call” story than what we
hear in Matthew, Mark, or Luke.In those accounts, we have the image of Jesus calling Andrew,
Peter, James, and John from their jobs as fishermen and telling them that they will fish for people.
But as John’s gospel tells it, it was John the Baptizer who set it all in motion by pointing Jesus out to
John’s own followers. He says, “Look, here is the Lamb of God.” And at those words, they leave
John to follow after Jesus. It’s remarkable that John’s testimony carried such power. He saw Christ,
and pointed him out to those he was closest to. That was his calling.That was his purpose.
Hmmm. Hang onto that for a moment.The gospel then goes on to tell us that Jesus asked
John’s followers, “What are you looking for?” Andwhen they didn’t know how to frame an answer,
they responded with a question of their own. And Jesus followed up with a compelling invitation,
“Come and see.”
Let’s put that all together. Pointing out the presence of Christ to people who wouldn’t
otherwise have noticed. Asking the question, “What are you looking for?” And when the response is
predictably hesitant, issuing the open-ended invitation, “Come and see.”
I suggest that there is no process more important for us St. David’s folks to be doing
in 2017 than this: Pointing. Asking.Inviting.“Here is how Christ is changing lives. Right
here, right now.” “What are you looking for in your life?”“Come and see.”
A year ago this time in my Rector’s Report, I shared these words:
“Churches that look primarily inward are not likely to be sustainable in the long term. What
“worked” to build ministries and fund them forgenerations no longer works as well for a
variety of reasons. So though St. David’s does extremely well what it has done for decades,
we will need to do some things differently because we live in a world that views church
differently than it did in 1996 or 1966.”
I then went on to say:
“Our existing Vestry structure of committee chairmanship is not set up to do the work of
vision or discernment or big picture planning toward which all St. David’s ministries should
be pointing. Instead, energy gets directed toward hearing reports, giving permission, and
solving committee problems. Though this model for Vestry governance sought to provide
accountability in ministry, it effectively blocks vision and planning and tends to keep
ministries locked in ‘silos.’”
In 2016, we re-configured our Vestry governance to address this issue. We moved to a
consent agenda format, meaning that committee reports are submitted ahead of time and reviewed –
because the Vestry needs to be informed -- but that our working time together was freed up to focus
on visioning. We launched the Church Assessment Tool Survey, in order to find out what was
important in the lives of St. David’s parishioners. We asked, and you answered. We learned that, as
before, we want to grow and specifically we want to grow with families. We found that we are
willing to make necessary changes to attract families. We found that as a congregation we are
actually more adaptable than we thought we were, though what we are willing to change varies
tremendously from person to person. We found that there is a hunger, especially among the Under
60 crowd, to create more opportunities to form meaningful relationships. We also learned that fewer
than half of those responding feel comfortable sharing faith stories with persons in our community.
We learned that fewer than half of us believe that St. David’s members spend time listening to the
needs of people in our community so that we can respond to those needs as a Christian witness.
My friends, we are far more likely to accomplish the former – growth numerically,
relationally, and spiritually – when we lean into the work that gets us out of these walls and
into our communities where we point out, and ask questions, and invite. There is so much
that St. David’s has to offer! There is so much that St. David’s can learn from those whom Christ
himself, I believe, longs for us to engage in conversation.
We became disciples of Jesus when we are baptized. That means we are called both to
worship Christ and to follow him. We Episcopalians revel in that “worship” aspect of discipleship.
But we are also called to follow. And I believe, now more than ever, this means watching for
those opportunities to point out the presence of Christ to those around us who are not
already part of the St. David’s family. To take a page from John the Baptizer and see this as
our calling, our purpose.And not to stop there. To also engage the people in our
communities in the faithful question, “What are you looking for?” And not to stop there. To
invite -- in the spirit of hospitality which St. David’s does so well -- “Come and see.”
The Vestry will be focusing on specific strategies that reflect the priorities you all identified
for us. That’s their role as parish leaders. But they cannot devise and implement these strategies
alone, nor should they. It will take the gifts, graces, and skills of the entire St. David’s membership
to lean in. They are counting on each one of you -- your support, your ministries, your enthusiasm,
and perhaps most especially your prayers.
I look ahead to an exciting, challenging year at St. David’s as we put flesh around our
emerging vision of growth and relationship building. In this, I am enormously grateful for the
faithful leadership of the wardens, Scott Howie and Cathy Underwood. They are not only wise
leaders, faithful Christians, and good friends, they are also provide important counsel and advice to
me. One of the things I value most in them is their capacity to speak the truth in love. I am grateful
also to a wonderful, hardworking Vestry, to worship and ministry leaders and the staff who keep this
place ticking. I am grateful to my family – Rick and Cady – whose support of and patience with this
vocation of mine continues to awe and humble me. And finally, I am grateful for all of you, whose
ministries enrich and enlivened our corner of the world. It is a privilege to serve as your Rector.