Gifts

The Vestry of St. Paul's gathered on Saturday morning along the beautiful banks of the Magnolia River with a fire in the fireplace and scones on the table to pray, listen, reflect, and dream. And, for the third year in a row, the Holy Spirit showed up with vigor pointing us in the direction that God would have us go. When 10 people go off to pray as individuals and then at least 5 of them return and share a vision that is almost exactly the same, it isn't funny, it is awesome.

I believe that 2010 will mark the transition of St. Paul's from a Church to a community of faith. Together we will make the change from clerical driven organization to a laity empowered to do the work that God has called us to do. And I believe that transition begins this week. The Wedding at Cana is a fun story, but the famous gifts passage from 1 Corinthians 12 is what we need to hear. If we are going to begin the works of shared ministry from age 2 to 92 then we have to take seriously that God gives each of us gifts for the building of his Kingdom. And we have to recognize that all of us have gaps in which we are not gifted. The key is finding those gifts and those gaps and as a body of believers building a unified structure where my gift bridges your gap. Keith and I have that relationship, and now begins the process of modelling it to the rest of St. Paul's.

I'm excited beyond words for what God has in store in 2010. I think generations will look back on this year as one of not just renewal, but the time when St. Paul's became a flagship Parish, shining the light of the nations for all the world to see. Grab a cup of coffee and get ready because the Spirit is at work and the ride is going to be amazing.