The longer I spend here, the more I think the best part of the job is the great vantage point you get as the rector! There are opportunities to look out and see the totality of what is happening in the congregation, and you also get frequent glimpses of what’s happening behind the scenes, what is emerging, and what is about to bloom.
I also think that the past 3.5 years of pandemic disruptions (not to mention getting a new priest!) have sometimes made it difficult for us to be able to see everything that is going on in this congregation. A lot happens on Zoom, we spent a lot of years not bumping into each other in the building, and a lot of our patterns were disrupted.
This Sunday, September 10, and the other Sundays in September, will give us a chance to look around and see a bigger piece of all the good ministry, relationship-building, and vibrant life at St. Clare’s. Because there’s just a lot of great stuff going on here! We are growing in all sorts of ways, doing good things, enjoying new and rekindled connections, and building up the kingdom of God. This congregation’s resilience has allowed us to come to this moment full of purpose and joy. That is something to celebrate.
So I hope you’ll make a point to come to church on September 10 so that we can all celebrate together. We’ll have some special music, fall programs for children and youth will be starting, we’ll have our first Sunday of our September ministry fair, the vestry will be present to talk about next steps in our congregation, and lots more (click here for details). But most of all, it’s a chance to look around and see the whole of St. Clare’s, and feel the joy that we get to be a part of how God is working in and through us here.
See you Sunday!
Anne