There was a sage older person I knew in Coventry who often said to me,
“The only thing that is certain in life is change.” I couldn’t agree more,
although it is not a truth that any of us revels in. I know that my
announcement about leaving has unsettled people. I know that an
undercurrent of anxiety now exists about what the future holds here at
St. David’s. That makes sense. Yet, there are ways to channel our feelings
of anxiety so that we can begin to feel like we have a bit more control.
One of the chief ways is to participate in the self study process. A Self
Study Committee has been formed, and is being chaired by Sue Hurn.
Their job, among others, is to craft questions for parishioners to give input
on. They want to know what your hopes are for St. David’s, and for your
new priest. They want to know what your concerns are. Regularly giving
them your feedback is critical, both because it is a part of the process of
moving forward, and it gives you a chance to help shape the future of
St. David’s.
Another way to channel anxiety is to talk about it! I am happy to sit and
talk with people about my decision and where St. David’s is headed, just
as I know the members of the vestry and the Self Study Committee are.
Are you unclear about the process? Just ask one of us, particularly Sue
Hurn, who as both Senior Warden and Chair of the Self Study Committee,
is a reservoir of knowledge.
And, of course, another important way to deal with the uncertainty here
at church and ANY uncertainty is prayer. One of the reasons I love the
Psalms is that the psalmist poured everything out to God: anger, fear,
grief, anxiety, joy, gratitude…the whole range of human emotion is
covered in the Psalms. The Psalms provide a perfect model of how to pray.
Paul says “pray about everything” and when you read the psalms, you see
what an ancient tradition Paul was building on. There is a stillness and
a sense that “all shall be well” that can emerge when we give over our
concerns to God. What a gift that sense of stillness can be as we face all
of the changes and chances of this life.
Pastor Beth