The first day of our clergy conference was devoted to time with our bishop, Greg Rickel. I appreciate his willingness to engage with his clergy in a very open dialogue. Bishop Greg communicates clearly and openly, and doesn't avoid any issues.
He told a story about building a relationship with the bartender at a bar he goes to sometimes. After knowing Greg as a customer for a while, the bartender asked what he did and was surprised to find he is a bishop. So when Christmas came near, he asked Greg where he was going to be for Christmas. Greg said, "The cathedral. Would you like to come?"
The bartender said, "Where do I sit?"
Greg commented to us, "That's a very interesting question. He was worried about crossing the boundary into the church and where he would sit. We should remember that when we think about newcomers." So Greg arranged that someone would meet the bartender at the door of the cathedral so he could sit with Greg's family.
At Easter, the same thing happened and the bartender brought some friends to the cathedral where Greg was. Now he's exploring other Episcopal churches.
Bishop Greg used that story as an example of evangelism and as a story about reaching out into the culture. He reminded us that one of the three "missional shifts" happening now is from internal to external; in other words, from inside the church walls to outside the church walls.
Bishop Greg reminded us of our passion for ministry. He offered this quote from Roger Rosenblatt: "The best in life and art comes from a center - something urgent and powerful, an idea or emotion that insists on its being. From that insistence, a shape emerges and creates its structure out of passion. If you begin with a structure, you have to make up the passion, and that's very hard to do."
I think what the bishop is saying is, "Get in touch with your center and let your passion guide you. Don't just do the same old thing and expect it to be successful."
I'll say more about the conference later.
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