A Rested Development

So, maybe some of you are wondering whether or not I meant the title to say "Arrested Development" in reference to the silly sitcom on the Fox Network about a very dysfunctional extended family. The answer is "no, I wrote what I intended." You'd be correct, however, in assuming that I borrowed their title in order to twist it to my own purpose. And whether or not this essay turns out to be just as silly as the sitcom, what I am interested in writing about is the notion of "rest" and the notion of (if not development) growth.

I hear so many people in and out of our churches wish that they could grow. Some of them mean that they want to have more people in the pews. The reasons for wanting more people in the pews varies from the thought that more-people-will-mean-more-money-to maintain-the-present-expenses-of keeping-the-church-open to a genuine desire to share the love of God and the mission of the church with as many people as possible.

Some people want to grow spiritually. They want to discover their place in God's creation. They want to learn more about the Bible, how to pray. They want to get a sense of their spiritual gifts and how God is calling them to deeper and broader levels of faith and discipleship.

Regardless of whether we want to grow numerically or spiritually, internally or externally, resting is a necessary requirement. When I use the term "rest" I am thinking of resting as a time of peaceful introspection. This kind of rest is not the absense of exertion or activity. It is activity of a different sort.

Remember, how Jesus invited the disciples to "come away to a lonely place of rest". They didn't get to rest because the crowds followed them, and the crowds were hungry. And so, Jesus took two fish and five loaves of bread and fed more than 5,000 people. Yes, there is much to do as Jesus followers always, but he also wishes that we take time to be away with him and rest.

A couple of postings ago I listed the dozens of authorized ministers in the Upstate Region of the New York Conference involved in Specialized Ministries. As extensive a list as this was, I realized almose immediately that I had forgotten some. As it happens one ministry and minister that I forget to mention was that of Bruce Tamlyn in his work as chaplain at Silver Bay on Lake George.

Silver Bay provides a wonderful ministry to authorized ministers. From September through May the residency complex of Brookside/Trinity are made available to ministers free of charge. Bruce is the coordinator of this program. I went on a personal three day retreat there to begin my sabbatical leave in 2006. My wife and I have begun a tradition of going there for a few days the week after Labor Day.

While at Silver Bay I've done a good deal of reading that I never seemed to be able to get to at home. I composed music. I wrote the script and put together the first draft of the powerpoint presentation of our New York Conference mission trip to southern Africa. I meditated and prayed. I found a favorite place on the porch of the boathouse and rocked many an hour away. Check out the website at www.silverbay.org and click on the Spiritual Life tab.

Ron Farr is known throughout the Conference for his work in Laity Empowerment. The flagship curriculum of this ministry is Unwrapping Our Gifts. Ron has written several other courses as well in Workplace Spirituality, new members classes, clergy empowerment, even a course on what the Bible says about homosexuality.

His courses are truly empowering. I've seen it in the eyes and hearts and responses of parishioners in churches that have gone through these courses. These courses inspire deep thought, new insights and help people who have known each other for decades learn new things and talks in ways they've never done before. And, throughout all is done prayerfully, peacefully, with ample use of silence, meditative music and joyful celebrations.

Ron is leading a training workshop this Saturday at Mountain Rise UCC in Fairport (near Rochester). While it is too late to sign up for this workshop, it is not too late to contact Ron for information about future workshops. Go to the Laity Empowerment website www.laityempowerment.com.

Tony Green is a chaplain at Community Hospice in Rensselaer. He went with several Hospice chaplains to southern Africa this past summer to work with health care clinics in ministering to families affected by HIV/AIDS. Hospice gives wholistic support to those that are terminally ill and their families in caring ways. Dignity becomes possible even in the midst of terrible suffering and immeasurable sadness as life nears an end. And, dignity leads to a joy that is beyond understanding.

The Parish Life and Leadership Ministry Team in the national offices of the United Church of Christ has developed a website and a program to help persons discern whether or not they have a call to ministry. Ask the Question does just what it says. It encourages persons to ask where God is leading them and how. There is information available on the website. But mostly there are stories, and discussions of what a "call" feels like, of what the church expects of those called to ministry. Ask the Question leads participants to pray, to meditate, to think and feel deeply about faith and vocation. The website is www.askthequestion.org.

So, grow in faithfulness, in service, in mission, in welcoming new disciples into your church fellowship. Grow knowing that growth also requires "coming away to a lonely place of rest" with Jesus. The lonely place of rest is the place where we open ourselves to learning the ways of Jesus through prayer, study, mutual discussion and support, through journaling and mapping out where God is leading.

Growth without rest is like the shallow soil in Jesus' parable of the sower. The seed took root and quickly grew because the soil had no depth. But when a drought came, the plants quickly whithered and died. But a rested growth is like the soil in Jesus' parable that was good, rich and deep. It yielded one hundred, sixty and thirty fold.

As Jesus said, "Those with ears to hear, let them hear."

Blessings,

Rick Cowles