Curiosity

It might make the cat a bit nervous, but curiosity certainly has its place.

A couple of years ago I came across this quote in my desk calendar. “The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.” (Dorothy Parker) This appealed to me because I’ve often had my children tell me that they’re bored. Sometimes I can understand why, like travelling in the car to Adelaide and hoping for the destination to arrive, and quickly. But other times I just don’t get it. How could they possibly be bored at home? There are books to read, games to play, a garden and park to be explored. I’ve decided to blame the television and computer for diminishing their ability to amuse themselves.

I’m not bored very often. Life in general, and people in particular, are fascinating. This is true of my first two months at St Paul’s. There is so much to find out, so much to understand, so many people to get to know, so many dots to join and connections to make. As I recently remarked to the FROGMA group, I see the key task in my first year of ministry to ask a lot of questions of the congregation, and to journey with it as we together explore the answers. Please note, if you find yourself on the end of one of these questions, that they are not criticisms, but questions, and they are designed to help me discover the reasons why we do what we do. I am hopeful that the process will be beneficial both to me and to you.

Vision 2012

In effect, the Vision 2012 process is curiosity in action. St Paul’s needs to know what its members think about our congregation’s mission and ministry, and where, with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, they perceive it should head into the future. That was the thinking behind the values survey that we recently conducted. Well over 250 members responded, and the Vision 2012 team has been collating the data. Church council, staff and leadership conducted a Values Workshop on Saturday February 24, where we explored the survey results and the implications for congregational life. Stay tuned for more information as we work through this planning process.

Collegial relationship

Someone once said that the health of a congregation is as good as the relationship between its pastors. In the case of St Paul’s, that statement is true of both pastors and the staff. I’ve concentrated my efforts in the first weeks of my ministry in forming a close working relationship with the staff and with Pastor Greg in particular. My call to serve as your senior pastor has a particular emphasis on leading and pastoring the staff team, because these people are charged with the task of leading the congregation in various ministry areas.

A good working relationship is crucial to the continued ministry excellence and innovation of St Paul’s. A current focus of the staff team is to examine how all the different work that we do fits together. We’re in the process of looking at our portfolio responsibilities and identifying the support that we can give one another, extending to the wider congregation. Pastor Greg and I are also working through how we share oversight of the congregation’s mission and ministry, and how we divide responsibilities between us. I expect that this will take a few months to clarify.

In the meantime, we look forward to the regularization of Pastor Greg’s call to serve among us. This will take place at the four services on Sunday March 4. We thank God for Pastor Greg’s ministry at St Paul’s to this point, and look forward to the way it unfolds into the future.

Who are you?

A curious person likes to know people’s names. Learning the names of over 700 people is a major undertaking. I am thankful to those of you who wear a sticky label with your name on it. It helps me no end. Elsewhere in Inside Story you’ll read about our plans for permanent name tags, not just to assist me long term, but as a courtesy for our many visitors.

Meeting you at church is only one way of getting to know you. The work of pastoring takes place in extended conversations, especially in your home. Because of the size of St Paul’s, it is going to take me some significant time to visit all of you. In the short term, it’s my intention to attend each of the congregational small groups, as a way of connecting with you. I trust that you’ll understand that this is only the first step in the process of learning who you are. Soon after Easter, Pastor Greg and I will recommence the Saturday pastoral care appointment system.

Pastoral Assistant – Youth and Family Ministry

Late last year, as a result of the congregation’s positive response to the Giving to Grow Appeal and the AGM decision, St Paul’s advertised a full-time youth and family ministry position. When applications closed in early January, we had received only one response. We decided to interview the candidate, and as a result of the interview process, offered him the position. However, he declined our offer, and as a result, Church Council is currently working through the next steps in provisioning this ministry area.

Youth internships

On Sunday February 11, we installed Steph Pedersen as youth intern for 2007. Steph has hit the ground running, and we are thankful for her enthusiasm and skill. We look forward to a beneficial year, as Steph explores this ministry area and as we receive the gifts she has to share with us. We are currently processing two applications for the second internship position.

8:00am worship

The 8:00am service began as a response to the fact that the 9:00am service was becoming quite crowded. Over the last years, this worshipping community has grown to the point where around 80 people gather every Sunday at this time. This service is characterised by it simplicity and brevity (most of the time!). It’s quiet and uncomplicated and restful. Over this month, the use of Powerpoint will be trialled, not to complicate the service but to allow the use of a wider range of liturgical prayers and hymns, within the same basic framework. If you attend the 8:00am service, we would appreciate your feedback.

Ecumenical relationships

I’ve attended the first Box Hill Ministers’ Fraternal meeting for 2007. It was good to meet other clergy from this area, and to get a snapshot of the ministries of local churches, together with work that they are doing together. It’s beneficial for us to learn about the local context of our ministry, when our congregation itself has a significant regional focus. What is the nature of our local community, and what are some of the ways we might work together with other Christians in Box Hill for the sake of the kingdom of God?

Having just moved into the Box Hill area, I’m impressed by the energy and cosmopolitan nature of the Box Hill precinct. It’s a major transport centre through which thousands of people pass daily, as well as a retail, commercial, educational and medical hub. It has a great selection of Asian restaurants! Why has God placed us right in the middle of this regional growth point in Melbourne’s East?

Prayer

In this Lenten season, one of the key disciplines that Jesus urges us to practise is prayer. Our staff team meet weekly, and one of the major foci is to care for the congregation through tracking people’s needs and praying for them. We also have a prayer group that meets every Tuesday at 10:00am.

At a recent staff meeting we spoke about the anguish of those parents whose children no longer worship, or who have rejected the faith. I would ask that you make this a focus of your personal prayer life. You may have particular people in mind as you pray. Please also pray for our evening service, which attracts people of that age group, from 20-35.

Lent

I close with some words from my Ash Wednesday sermon, which was based on Matthew 6:1-6,16-21: “Giving, praying and fasting, done in secret before our Father, who is in secret, spring from our desperate need for God and our thankfulness for the new life with which he has blessed us. They acknowledge that God alone is God. They allow us to rest in his mercy and love. What are the ways that God is calling you to an inner life based on these habits, overflowing into an outer life of love and service? Use these weeks of Lent to contemplate the grace and mercy of God, that you might live a richer life of love in Christ.’

Peace in Christ