Episcopal Church Foundation Vital Practices

Our staff and diocesan leaders gathered over the weekend to explore and craft our mission strategy. Our facilitator, the interim dean of the cathedral, asked us to reflect for two minutes on our favorite story from Scripture. Then we shared the story – without commentary. Our next task was to reflect (again for a minute or so) about what this Scripture meant in the context of our lives. Our answers were to be brief – a word or two or short phrase. Then the dean invited us to think about our ministries and how the theme from this biblical story informs our work. 

It was amazing, really. The story of Abraham greeting the three visitors was the favorite of a conference center staff member whose primary responsibility is hospitality. The youth director’s story was the parable of the Good Samaritan and the theme of helping others. A priest who is focusing on emergent church and young adult ministries named the walk to Emmaus and the importance of joining people for the journey. 

The insight was powerful. Perhaps for the first time, I connected a key understanding of my faith to a main thread of my work. And I gained appreciation for my colleagues and diocesan leaders. Of course, faith binds us, but this exercise gave us the opportunity to see how each of us lives out different lessons from the Bible. 

The experience shaped our day. When people pushed for outreach, I thought about the story they had chosen of Jesus healing the leper. When a participant dared us to take risks, to be courageous, I remembered that his story was David and Goliath. 

When I returned home from the retreat, my son asked about the meeting. 

It was good, I could say. Really good.