The calendar is turning to September. This time of year brings many kinds of shifts in our lives and schedules, but this year it also brings for me a poignant reflection. Ten years ago I gathered with Bishop Kirby Unti and the people of Peace to be installed as your pastor. The gospel that I chose for the worship was the parable of the sower and the seeds. It reflected my own image of a pastor as a faithful seedplanter. We can try our best to cultivate good seed and plant it where it might grow and bear fruit, but we do not always have a lot of control over where the seeds might land and how they will be received and nurtured. The image helps remind me that I am not in charge of the harvest- only the planting, and perhaps some careful tending of the soil, amending it as needed to help it be receptive to growth.
So for ten years I have been trying to faithfully plant seeds of the gospel. Some of those seeds fell among thorns and withered. But a good number of them have found a bit of ground and taken root. When I arrived here there was residual uncertainty and difficulty from a recent significant split in the congregation. There was anxiety as the congregations struggled to meet its financial obligations. But we chose to journey ahead together, seeking faithful discipleship, rebuilding trust and commitment, discerning choices for our future, staying attentive to the movement of the Spirit. I have been grateful to discover much vitality: openness, creativity, generosity, eagerness to serve and a genuine care for those both within our community of faith and beyond. One of the fruits of tending the seed of the gospel in this place has been a robust sense of hospitality. I see you all offering welcome- not just in word but in deed. I am grateful for the long history of faithful welcome in this place and for all the folks who have chosen to join us on the journey over the last ten years.
It has been a blessing to serve you. Let us continue to scatter seeds together!
Pastor Annette