Download Rector's Annual Report 2016-1
The Reverend Dr. Regina Christianson
It is the privilege of the rector to stand atop the mountain, search for glimpses of the Promised Land, witness to its reality, discern the patterns that will lead fellow pilgrims in the right direction, and exhort the company to rise up in joy to follow the Way. That is what a Charge is.
My charge to you is that we pay especial attention to four focuses in this next year. During my Rector’s Report, I quoted the Canon on Ministry of All Baptized Persons. The four focuses actually arise from it. Allow me to repeat it:
Sec. 1. Each Diocese shall make provision for the affirmation and development of the ministry of all baptized persons, including: (a) Assistance in understanding that all baptized persons are called to minister in Christ's name, to identify their gifts with the help of the Church and to serve Christ's mission at all times and in all places. (b) Assistance in understanding that all baptized persons are called to sustain their ministries through commitment to life-long Christian formation.
The first is communication. While it may not be evident that this has anything to do with the Ministry of All Baptized, without it, the rest will fail. We have reinstituted the telephone tree because you have a good history with it. We will also recommit to regular communications through weekly mail announcements, monthly newsletters, and regular communications from the vestry. Exactly how each one of you individually receives these communications will be up to you. You will need to communicate to the church office how you wish to receive written communication. It may take us a while to get this all in place and working smoothly, but with your ongoing help and participation, we can accomplish timely, content-worthy communication.
The second is stewardship. Stewardship covers a lot of ground – everything from maintaining the church property to making sure money, energy, and gifts are used wisely. As we learned through the Creation story, we are created to be stewards. We are entrusted with God’s precious and beloved creation. In our context, being stewards means that we are entrusted with the legacy of Episcopal worship and values, the care for our parish family, our fellowship with other parishes and civic groups, and our responsibilities towards the larger community. We are gifted with stewardship so that we might follow Jesus, so that we might use these opportunities to find and be found in Christ. Walter Coles has written a document for us to help us identify our call to stewardship of time and talent. As part of our stewardship drive, For Emmanuel: Illustrative Goals and Committees for Discussion, is meant to inspire us, giving us concrete examples, inviting us into the process of creating meaningful ministries. To be Emmanuel Church in Chatham, Virginia, in 2017: where in this do you find God? Where in this is your stewardship? Those two questions are the heart of the next area of focus, holy discernment.
You will often hear me speak of holy discernment. The two questions: “where in this do you find God?” and “where in this do you find your most real self?” are the questions of holy discernment. To discern is more than just to make a decision about what to do. It means to look at the spiritual reality behind that choice. In making any decision it is always wise to identify the emotional, practical, personal content within the question to be decided. It is wise to consider the consequences of the action and the consequences of inaction. It is wise to admit that much will not be in your control, either in how things happen and the results. All of that is good and part of the discernment process. But it is in considering God and equally considering your authentic self, that holy discernment takes place. No one can answer those questions for you. I can help you through the process, as can group discernment. The Holy Spirit desires our mutual participation in the work of Christ, reweaving the fabric of creation. So of course, the Holy Spirit desires that you discern your part in weaving New Creation within the parish of Emmanuel Church.
The fourth concern is Christian formation, the ongoing exercise of your spiritual and intellectual life necessary for healthy and informed service. There are many ways to accomplish this. Confirmation Class is one. Choir is another. Private prayer, meditation, and studying the bible is another. The possibilities are endless, either on your own or with a group. Let us communicate our ideas, and through holy discernment of the intersection of our gifts and our desires, offer meaningful Christian formation in various ways, so that all might have a chance to grow and serve.
For me as pastor the focus is: how can I affirm and facilitate development of your particular gifts of ministry? How can I help shape the organization of our activities so that the leadership and accountability are truly yours? How can I support your own discernment process? What types of experiences best support your ongoing spiritual and intellectual growth, best support emotional health, including the emotional health of the community as a whole? What kinds of training would be useful?
I am looking forward to the next year of mutual exploration as a pilgrim people, mutual engagement as a community of believers. Emmanuel Church is gifted in so many ways, through which gifts are you called to lead us to the Promised Land, our New Creation?