Friday 5: Looking back, Looking forward

1. Share a moment/ time of real encouragement in your journey of faith.

• The most recent: a neighbor who, though a devout member of another local congregation, determined out of the blue to tithe a recent check to one of my congregations as a thank offering for some recent pastoral conversation and support. The money is welcome, yes-- but the thought that God was able to use me to her benefit is a blessed bit of encouragement indeed.
  

2. Do you have a current vision/dream for your work/family/ministry?

• I would dearly love to see the growth of seeds planted in our churches here: numerically, certainly, but more important to my mind is increasing spiritual commitment and discipleship. With the latter, the former will come.
  

3.Money is no object and so you will.....

• At church: Accomplish some much needed parish repairs, and enable my assistant to serve full-time.
  
• At home: Pay someone else to finish our basement and back yard!
  

4. How do you see your way through the disappointments? What keeps you going?

• Prayer: silent, spoken and sung. Most especially the latter.
  
• Support: husband, family, and a forever friend or two.
  

5. How important are your roots?

• For good or ill (and sometimes both simultaneously!), they form the basis for who I am, how I see the world and live my faith. Even with all the quirks, I wouldn't have them any other way.

6. Bonus= what would you like to add ?

• In "looking forward," what occurs to me is the prayer I offer before every Eucharist: Gracious and loving God, I thank you for this day, and for the opportunity to serve you in this place. May all that we say, sing, think and do be in your name and to your glory, for the sake of your son, Jesus. Amen.