At our vestry retreat last month, we spent Saturday Morning in our chapel, praying the Morning Prayer service together. One of our readings was from Joshua 1:1-9, God’s commissioning of Jacob in the aftermath of Moses’ death.
After reflecting on the scripture reading, we shared how it resonates in our own lives now. Some shared they are motivated by specific words such as “be strong and very courageous,” and others are comforted by “I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.” Some spoke of how the passage provides hope for the future, even during our challenging times. For me, it focused my heart and mind to lean into what’s next, trust in God’s presence, and remember our baptismal covenant. Easier said than done for sure, yet for me, a helpful reminder of how scripture comes alive and resonates daily in unexpected ways.
Next, we wrote down our thoughts on the following questions Rev Nick had prepared for us:
1. Where have we been over the past year together?
I wrote:
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We have been able to be together in our worship spaces again.
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God has provided new friendships.
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It has been hard and exhausting.
2. Where are we now, and what crossroads are we facing?
I wrote:
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We can see each other again.
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We can embrace each other again.
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New life can result from hardship, what do we want to do about it?
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How do we balance looking back and longing for what was, with what is forever changed?
How might you answer these questions?
Next, we each shared one answer to each question with the group, many with responses similar to the ones I’ve written above. The ensuing discussion led us to formulate a new question: “Who is God calling us to be now?” The surprise for us is that even though the questions were filled with where and what, our discussion led us to focus on our identity, who we’re called to be.
While we had other work planned for the rest of our day together in retreat, we kept this new question in our hearts and minds. Having that question hanging in the air (and literally hanging on the wall) helped shape our work that day and will continue to do so. For us today, where and what is at the service of who.
We look forward to sharing more outcomes from our retreat time together in the coming weeks.
Dave McSweeney
