From the Rector

Dear friends in Christ,

Last evening, 30 or so members of Saint Andrew’s met in Trinity Commons for conversation about our sense of shared mission and vision. (What are our values? Who is God calling us to be? What is God calling us to do?)

We also considered the alignment between our parish’s identity, the needs of the community, and what our buildings and grounds offer. (What does it mean to be rooted in a place? What do our buildings mean to us and to those beyond our doors? How can our buildings and grounds contribute to the revitalization of our neighborhood?)

It was the first of a series of conversations that will build on each other.

This morning, as I thought back to the evening, I was reminded of a Prayer Book Collect for Guidance that my first mentor in seminary prayed before our weekly lunches:

“Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with thy most gracious favor, and further us with thy continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy Name, and finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (BCP 832)

This clarifies so beautifully my hope for these conversations.

There are myriad ways that churches and communities of faith embody the work of the Gospel. There are no limits to how we can seek and serve the needy.

We’re not called to do everything, though, nor could we if we tried. What good works, then, are we at Saint Andrew’s being called to offer ourselves to, given our context and the needs of our neighbors? How we begin to answer that question will rely on prayer and the grace of God to direct our steps in everything we pursue.

How would you finish this sentence? “We are a church that ________.”

Here are just a few responses from last evening: We are a church that is …

… “part of a community reaching out to those on the fringes;” … that “feeds the hungry, anyone who needs us;” … that is “home for anyone who has no place to go;” … that “feeds the spirit and feeds the body;” … that is “anchored in worship” and transformed by “the mystery of the altar;” … that is “open hearted, open minded;” … that is “gathered, replenished, and sent to the world;” … and that is “Christ-like and lives out the Beatitudes.”

How would you finish this sentence? “We are being called to ________.”

Here are a few things people shared: We are being called to …

… “take on the impossible;” … be “a hospital for sinners, not a country club for saints;” … “fight against injustice;” … “serve the least of these” and “love the poor;” … “heal body and soul;” … “support immigrants and undocumented people in our community;” … “provide transportation” for those who can’t make it to church; … build community with “small groups;” … “give sanctuary;” and … “stretch and grow in love.”

Stay tuned for more information about our next round of conversations, and may God always direct the steps we take together into the good works he has prepared for us to walk in.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Peter