Dear Friends,

That was the invitation that Jesus made to his disciples in the midst of their life together. In that quiet place he taught them to pray, and there they discovered ways to renew their relationship with God and with each other. Last week, I had the opportunity and privilege to go to a quiet place – a conference center in the western mountains of North Carolina.

The CREDO conference that I attended there was one of many organized and supported by the Church Pension Group. I gathered with close to 30 other clergy from around the country for a time of quiet,  but also of worship, conversation and some work. We were led by a faculty of laypersons and clergy, who asked us to take time to look at four dimensions of our lives: spirituality, vocation, finances, and health. As we alternated between formal presentations, small group discussions, and individual discernment time, we were each asked to create a CREDO plan, with some long and short term goals that address those four areas.

It was one of those rare opportunities to have the time to step back and look at one’s life – where am I thriving and being fed, and where am I struggling or hungering? In the months to come, I will be sharing with the Vestry some of my goals, particularly those around professional development.

I came back from CREDO refreshed and excited. I also came back deeply grateful. I am grateful to the Church Pension Group, which covers most of the cost of the event. And that means I am grateful to you, since the parish contributes to the Church Pension Fund as part of your covenant with me. And I came away grateful to be called to serve here at St. John’s, as I see how God is moving in my life and in our midst. I know how rare a privilege it was for me to have that time. And I pray that in our life together, we as a parish can create smaller but no less significant occasions for everyone  to discover how it is that God has a vocation for each of us, calling us into fullness of life as we discover the gifts we have been given and the ways in which we may share them with the world.
Faithfully,

Tom