On Saturday, right before our block party and retreat house opening, a parishioner said to me, “You know, I’m always surprised at how things just come together at the last minute around here.” I had to agree with her. I’m sincerely grateful to all who assisted with last Saturday’s joyous event. As wonderful as it was to welcome new faces into the retreat house for tours, it was meet and right for us as a parish to celebrate a year of hard work in preparation to open our new retreat house ministry.
Perhaps the parishioner’s observation that things just come together at the last minute—by surprise it seems—is applicable to the many ways in which God surprises us with his grace. And this parishioner’s comment is a vivid testimony to the power of St. Paul’s theology of the Body of Christ. As much as it seems like things are just falling into place almost by happenstance, it is, instead, a remarkable meshing of many gifts from God being used in service of ministry.
The visioning, planning, and execution of the Rosemont Community Retreat House could only have happened in this time and place with the many people of various gifts that God has brought together in this parish. Over time, our vision for this ministry has shifted and morphed to lead us to the present. It will continue to shift and morph, I’m sure. But the realization of this ministry as it currently is has only been possible through the generosity of so many people, too many to thank individually.
While I learned much in previous years of parish ministry before arriving at Good Shepherd, what I have learned most acutely in this parish is the importance of faithfulness (showing up), paying close attention to the gifts of the people around you, and the necessity of taking risks in the pursuit of gospel ministry. Although I have said it many times before, it bears repeating: Christian discipleship that is oriented towards God’s abundance will always necessitate risk-taking.
As we speak, the parish Finance Committee is drafting the 2023 budget. In doing so, the committee is mindful of being more than just good stewards of what God has entrusted to our care. The committee, as well as the vestry, knows that there is no point in living in Christ if one is not living fully, courageously, and generously. To do so on a practical level at Good Shepherd means that our budget cannot remain static as we seek to advance ministry to live into God’s vision for us. It means that investing in staff, vital programs, and ministries is essential to living faithfully into our identity as an Anglo-Catholic parish that prizes the beauty of holiness and service in the Name of our Lord.
Our new parish video sums it up precisely: we are beginning to realize God’s vision for us. We are beginning to see it, hear it, taste, it smell it, and touch it. It is a new creation, rising from the ashes of the old. Please pray for continued guidance as this parish revives and holds true to the gospel of Christ, and I ask you to prayerfully consider how you are being called, with both time and talent, to support God’s vision here at Good Shepherd. I am grateful for your presence here. You can safely assume that you have been brought here by God because your gifts are needed in this place. So, how will you use them?
Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle