October 18, 2017

For the past two days, late Sunday afternoon through early Tuesday afternoon, I was away at the annual diocesan clergy conference which was held at the Claggett Retreat Center just outside of Buckeystown. This was my first in the Diocese of Maryland, as last year at this time, according to Facebook, I was hanging out with a group of friends in Ann Arbor, MI, four days out from our arrival in Hagerstown. It was a couple of days of fun, fellowship, learning, and relaxation.

Our keynote speaker was Bp. Andy Doyle of the Diocese of Texas and his topic, which was unnamed but if I had to title it, was, “Do we know what we are doing?”

Some questions he asked: Do I know what God wants me to do? How am I spending my time? What are our goals? What things do we cut out of church that don't fit our understanding or desires?

Some statements he made: Ferris Bueller's Day Off is really a gospel story about a guy who hangs out with the wrong people and challenges the status quo. A focus on ASA (average Sunday attendance) drives who we focus on as a parish/rector. Are we remembering to focus on people outside of our building – namely the neighborhood around the parish? Jesus' parables weren't meant to be nice morality stories, they were meant to shatter commonplace ideas. We need to constantly look for new ways to communicate with and engage people outside of our walls (Facebook, live streams, twitter). Technology isn't a tool for those under 30, it's an appendage; so stop griping about it.

I'm hoping to use some, or maybe all, of these snippets as a starting point for discussions with the Vestry and various Commissions. What are some new and creative ways we can be the Church? How else might we engage our neighborhood? Do we have a driving mission?

But it wasn't all work.

I got a chance to take a 2-1/2 hour nap on Monday, and then took a walk down to the family graveyard where at least one confirmed but unknown slave was buried. I was able to connect with some people who are becoming friends. I played a card game called Exploding Kittens. I shot some pool, winning three out of four games. And I watched as several of my colleagues sang karaoke and danced, of which both Bp. Eugene and Bp.Chilton, participated. There are photos, and at least one person has video.

And we worshiped. Compline on Sunday, Morning and Night Prayer on Monday, and Eucharist on Sunday were all times to gather and worship. It was good to be part of a community that worshiped on a regular basis, and it reminded me of why I offer Evening Prayer and Wednesday Eucharist during the week – because while Sunday Eucharist is good, it's also good to have regular daily worship.

So, what did I take away from all of this? 1) We need to do the hard work of continually questioning, challenging, and reaching out if we are to bring God's presence into the lives of those around us; 2) We need to remember that this IS hard work and it's vital to get some rest; 3) We need to remember those who have gone before; 4) We need to find ways to stay connected; 5) We need to remember to have fun; and, 6) We need to worship often.

Blessings,