A couple of months ago, parishioner Anne Tong asked me if she could organize a Sunday forum about God’s grace. Before even hearing her vision for the forum, I said “YES!” in my heart.
Grace is what our daily walk with Christ is all about. It shows up in divine comfort, courage, the will to persevere, the kindness and giftedness of others, coincidences that aren’t really coincidences, light in the darkness, a solution to a problem in the nick of time, an encouraging word from a friend when we needed it most… the list goes on.
Anne’s forum, “A Minister of God’s Grace” involved gathering reflections and photos from ten parishioners ages 14 to 80+ that reveal how God’s grace works in their lives. The end result included a narrative of reflections woven together, a multimedia presentation, and a hymn sing to top it all off. It was the epitome of 1 Thessalonians 5:11 – “Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.”
At the end of the forum, I said that I had never felt so proud to lead this congregation. There is nothing I enjoy more than seeing people come alive for Christ and through Christ. Coming alive together, including sharing the depths of our own spirituality with one another, is what church community is all about.
This Sunday is another occasion for celebrating God’s grace, which comes to us with the presence of our Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Matthew Heyd. In the Sacramental Rite of Confirmation, he will impart the grace of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands, strengthening the gifts of our confirmands given to them at baptism.
I imagine I’ll also feel some extra grace when I am formally instituted by the Bishop as your Rector. I hope you feel it too. I love you, Incarnation, and I know that with you, I’m exactly where I’m meant to be. May this be a hope-filled celebration of a new season of ministry together as we all continue to grow into the full stature of Christ and his body, the church.
Adrian+