Rewiring

To the surprise of many, I announced last January my decision to retire from parish ministry. Since 1986 I served as a parish priest in congregations of different sizes, different locations, different demographics, and different staff configurations. In some parishes I was the curate, the assistant, or, associate. In other congregations I was the rector, or, as one of my key lay leaders used to say "Head Rector." In other words, I was in charge of the spiritual, organizational, programatic, administrative and financial life of the congregation. Mostly recently at St. John's the congregational life included 1,800 parishioners and a day school of three year olds through fifth graders. The organizational guru, Peter Drucker, said that the three most difficult jobs are CEO of a hospital, President of a College or University, and Senior Pastor of a congregation.


Being the personal and public focus of a vital, exciting, committed and ever moving congregation and school is challenging. For every place I wanted to be and for every group or committee I wanted to be with, there were two, three, four or more meeting at the same time. Wonderful clergy staff and exceptional volunteers guided these various groups and the congregation served others, the hungry, the homeless, and offered an incredibly vibrant ministry to children, youth, and adults. I loved the challenge, the relationships, and the leadership of shaping the life of the congregation.


So many were surprised when I retired. I did not retire because I did not want the challenge any more, or the leadership, or the life at St. John's. I retired because there were other challenges I wanted to take on, other leadership I wanted to develop, other ways of learning I wanted to explore. Most importantly, I wanted to share these experiences with my husband, friends, and extended family. If I could have found a way to lead a large congregation, have occasional weekends with my husband, take Italian lessons, travel a little, and write, then I would have continued. Yet, I am an "all in" person. I could not envision not giving my all to the parish.


While I retired from parish ministry, I am rewiring for my next ministry. My next ministry includes learning in new ways. Some of that learning will be lessons, like Italian, taken from others. Some of that learning will be the steeper curve for me and for the church of ministry of relationships that are not primarily based in a congregation. I have not done ministry in this way before, although others have, and I am excited to find out where it takes me.


The most engaging and spiritually deepening seasons of my life have been times when I have been building for the future of the church. Rewiring asks me to build for the next generation without the scaffolding of a parish around me. Rewiring asks me to prioritize and I mean really prioritize not just so that I only think about it but that I really do it. Two hours set aside Monday through Friday for writing. Writing this blog, articles, developing proposals for projects. Two hours at least. Additional structured time to answer emails, network, mentor, and communicate by hand written notes (which I love to do). And then additional time to read, learn Italian, start an organization that will hopefully grow into a Slow Food Chapter for Howard County. Most importantly I have learned in these first six weeks of rewiring is continued time for exercise, yoga, and meditation.


Rewiring is the season of new leadership, new challenge, new structure, and new priorities.
Day to day life is still "practically christian" but now with a different vantage point to see Christ alive in the world.