tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955448508841673815.post7185330984529196577..comments2023-09-05T10:05:04.010-04:00Comments on Compass Points~ Mapping the Way: abundance, re-organizedAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124299791944852254noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955448508841673815.post-80667654550453564602016-10-25T18:38:02.407-04:002016-10-25T18:38:02.407-04:00I'm in! Lead the way....
VeronicaI'm in! Lead the way....<br />VeronicaAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13858832629297423746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955448508841673815.post-70720468916279914862016-10-21T16:24:53.702-04:002016-10-21T16:24:53.702-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Jim Straderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16781331975297370366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955448508841673815.post-24877596180221624132016-10-21T15:26:03.822-04:002016-10-21T15:26:03.822-04:00Seth and the contestants on Chopped offer their ta...Seth and the contestants on Chopped offer their talents to people who are interested in experiments and a willingness to make mistakes in order to succeed. Daring, exotically spiced dishes and wild-cut flowers appeal to particular niches of people who delight in such creative offerings. The Episcopal Church situations you describe may be examples of how an institutional religious system doesn't necessarily foster such creativity. The Seth-like seminarians can't easily go out and organically create their own Episcopal mission. Sadly, there was such a intentional community farm in Southern Ohio. It didn't survive. I assume that the almost deserted parish community in the quaint town and/or the forlorn parish hoping and praying for a successful priestly call are not primarily interested in feasting on scrumptious yet unknown liturgical dishes. Doing things differently, adaptively, requires coming to terms with must be lost in order for something new to be gained. At least, it requires finding means to hold sacred and traditional offerings in place even as what is being transformed takes root. Reformation and transformation requires finding creative and daring people, especially in marginal localities and communities who thrive on such opportunities. Some people are quite happy in remaining in bondage in Egypt and/or are afraid of what new tasks they will need to undertake in the promised land. None of these truths are bad or even inexplicable. Last week, you wonderfully talked about discovering the arc of a person's or community's story. The conflict and characters inherently make choices. Some good, some not. Truthful earnest storytelling is so importantly vulnerable because we can begin to ascertain who wants to be a contestant. Who is willing to live with the parable when it flips? Who desires to cut new flowers in bold ways and where is the right marketplace for that person(s)? This is apostolic First Century Christian territory. This is opening up that old building with beautiful art displays and social service events. This is continuing to hope and pray and believe that the Holy Spirit and stubborn search committees will get the right priest who will arrive. This is the Church of Christ believing that the seminarians will find purposeful work and the diocese will find a canonical and ecclesiastical recipe for educating and placing worker priests and lay leaders to serve sacramentally in their congregational communities. This is the vineyard in this place....what wonderful wine and wheat could be discovered, discipled, and directed here. There's weeding to be done. There are souffles that will collapse. It is God's work in the suffering and the resurrection Pray that The Lord will bring farmers and chefs onto the Common of our lives and diocese. Jim Straderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16781331975297370366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955448508841673815.post-55115435125773004852016-10-21T08:24:14.468-04:002016-10-21T08:24:14.468-04:00The "Chopped" analogy is apt. We watch ...The "Chopped" analogy is apt. We watch that show as well (but feel sad for the "losers" - which I don't think really are). Fortunately, we in the Diocese are not competing others in this fashion...just against ourselves and our stumbling blocks in the economy, et. al. Also, fortunately, we have, as you've intimated, a crowd of dedicated people who are trying their best - with whatever their church baskets contain. Praying for glorious new creations for all of us.Nanette Anslingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17088553503457218404noreply@blogger.com